A bit of a breakthrough for me

[Micci]

This is me pleased and happy about something that happened a couple of nights ago. I woke in the early hours of the morning ravenously hungry. so I got up, had a big bowl of cereal, an apple and a banana.

As I was still extremely hungry I started to get myself some more food and then stopped to think. As i had eaten so much it seemed strange that I was still so hungry so I asked myself if it was really hunger for food or an emotional hunger and I realised I'd really woken up worried. When I acknowledged that to myself the hunger lessened and although I was worried - I have some very real worries right now - I felt better for identifying what was really going on for me.

Its strange. I'd heard loads of course about eating to cover emotions but I'd not been aware of doing it at such a deep level that I thought emotional hunger was physical hunger. Previously I've binged when feeling down/angry/anxious but been aware of what I was doing, just out of control.

I'd be very interested to hear of other experiences around eating not for hunger but other reasons.

 

[sigourney]

OMG......... Snap... I did that for 2 nights on the trot last week... Only ate cereal and tea but in the middle of the night..come on..! I totally agree at the time my best friend and I had had a falling out and we were not talking... And we do daily....:-( ... We are ok now... It was my fault hence the worry..... And not got up to eat since .... Scary hey.... X

 

[sigourney]

Talk later for sure if you want to share stories... It's not unusual for me to do that ... X

 

[Micci]

ok, great.

Micci xxx

 

[Bobbina]

Hiya, congrats on your breakthrough hun hopefully things will get a bit easier for you now As for me, I've been doing quite well on my diet but today and tomorrow I have job interviews and I'm basically I'm a nervous wreck, as I'm not very good in social situations atall. So I've been eating bad food crisps, chocolate the works I'm punishing myself by not having tea pfffff.

 

[Micci]

Don't punish yourself!

You are in a very stressful situation and you've dealt with it the way you have learnt to. Be easy and forgiving - you want to make the best impression tomorrow don't you?

Beating yourself up about unwise food choices isn't going to help so why not go and do something else you enjoy and try to relax. Eat a healthy tea that will give you the nutrients you need to get through tomorrow - it doesn't have to be high calorie.

Something that can be helpful when you've made some mistakes during the day is to spend some time visualising the way you wished you had done it. See yourself worrying about the interview but turning down the crisps etc and choosing instead to do something constructive perhaps (just for example) sorting out your clothes or finding some way to relax. This will make it easier next time you are in a similar situation to choose a better way of coping.

Masses of good vibes coming your way for tomorrow.

 

[sigourney]

ok, great.

Micci xxx

Hi..... Well had a decent nights sleep... Woke a few times... Could easily have got up for tea but decided to stick it out....so so weird how stress affects you isn't it..! Sometimes I eat sometimes I could not eat a thing... Depends what the stress is about...if it's relationship stress or stress over my children... I don't eat.... It's like my body says no way stay thin.... But any other stress ... Money etc I eat. How about you ? X

 

[Micci]

That's interesting, for me there is no stress in the world that will keep me from eating for long and I've been through a fair bit. I haven't eaten though despite still waking and worrying. My counselling every week is a bit of a lifeline though. I'm so glad I took the plunge and started, I'd been dithering for far too long

 

[sigourney]

Wow sounds like you have a lot going on emotionally.......:-( ... Hope you get to a place your happy with.... X

 

[Micci]

yeah, me too, thanks. I know it will happen ... nothing stays the same for ever

 

[Slimandtoned]

I am 100% an emotional eater. I eat when I'm happy and sad but really get cravings and feel a hunger when I'm hurt or feel sad and only really realised it recently. This thread appealed to me as it's not many that you can talk to about this - I wouldn't feel comfortable telling most of my friends I overeat when I feel out of control about something going on in my life. Right now, I'm worried about something I have to do this week. I've spent all afternoon working on it and all I've managed is a few words and a whole lot of web surfing as well as ironing (!). I feel very anxious and desperate for junk food but really don't want to fall off the wagon again - at least when I smoked, I could have a cigarette. When I can't do that either, I'm really noticing the feelings... Many others go through this by any chance...?

 

[sigourney]

Yes ... Although if I have a worry ... Interview or something I can't eat. My appetite goes totally it's like I get all my nourishment from my nerves... X

 

[Micci]

Oh yes, food is (or was I say staying positive) my biggest displacement activity. Mind you, I have done some funny things rather than get down to what I need to do. I've had a driving desire to clean around all the little nodules on my massage sandals before getting down to writing a presentation I had to do the next day as well as munching away on crisps and stuff.

I wonder what it is? Anxiety that the task will be too hard and therefore its easier to avoid it and avoid failure? I know I find it very hard to sort through my terribly filed papers and have to find my car's log book in the next week or I wont get my road tax sorted in time, yet have I even tried looking for it ... nah. Mind you, I've not eaten because of that one yet.

Are you still managing to keep away from the junk S&T ?

 

[Slimandtoned]

Hi Micci I completely identify with what you're saying! I managed to go til midnight but succumbed to chocolate I'm disappointed to say. I have PP left for them so I haven't gone over but I'm not happy about it. I think I'm going to look more into this emotional eating and see what emotions I need to deal with in order for it to stop..

 

[Micci]

Blow this emotional eating! I have been doing really well then had family difficulties again late this afternoon. I was really hungry - well I guess I should have been judging by the time and what I'd previously had during the day.

However, instead of going for my nice lentil soup that was waiting for me I cut myself an enormous wodge of my lovely bread pudding. As I started on the sceond slice I caught myself and realised that this choice was to do with my worries and mood rather than what I would have chosen if I'd not been feeling upset.

So a lesson for me tonight. I am still vulnerable to mistaking emotions for hunger for food but I am capable of stopping myself. Part of me regrets the bread pudding - white bread, sultanas and sugar and oil - but part of me did enjoy it. If I'd stuffed down the whole tray full like I would have done a month ago I would have felt really bad about it.

I find writing about helps a lot too.

Next time I plan to catch myself after half a slice - or thereabouts

 

[Slimandtoned]

Well done Micci! Stopping was a big achievement! It's not easy but I'd say awareness is the first step in stopping the habit.

 

[Micci]

Well done Micci! Stopping was a big achievement! It's not easy but I'd say awareness is the first step in stopping the habit.

Yea ... well ... I did stop but later on lost it entirely

However, as I search for something positive to gain from the experience, I have had it reinforced that getting tired is a big trigger for me. I had a long and exhausting day with worries. If I fall asleep too early it messes my sleeping up so I was forcing myself to stay awake.

And part of forcing myself to stay awake is food. I will think of some other way of helping myself.

Thanks S&T, how are you doing yourself?

 

[Slimandtoned]

I completely agree with you Micci, tiredness causes me problems too. A long sleep really helped last night. I ate within points yesterday but incredibly unhealthily as I was craving junk all day.. I felt really bloated going to bed but hoping to have a renewed vigour today! It's funny as sometimes I just need someone else to tell me to go to bed as I feel guilty having a lie in when I could be getting jobs done around the place. I'm thinking maybe I should have a lie in from time to time so that I'm more rested and less likely to pick at food when I'm exhausted. Exercise and sleep must be the key!

 

[Micci]

OK. Later on if I'm around I will shout as loudly as I can ....................

'GO TO BED'

 

[Slimandtoned]

Ha ha!! Heard ya! I'm off to bed shortly!!