Alternatives to comfort eating...

HellieCopter

Gold Member
I have been having a think about this…prompted by reading a few posts on here and chatting to people in the office.

When we’re feeling a bit low, de-motivated, stressed, poorly, upset, glum…whatever....why do we turn to food? Why a packet of biscuits? Why chocolate? Why crisps, pizza, curry or Chinese?

It might taste good for the few minutes it takes to devour it, but then there are hours and days of guilt and worry about ‘ruining the diet’, ‘having a binge’, ‘going totally off plan’, how to limit the damage before WI…etc. Is it really worth moments of comfort eating for an agonising rest-of-the-week?
My answer…NO. Don’t get me wrong, I am guilty of doing it occasionally too…but today I’ve just been thinking…why do we do it to ourselves?!

So…what are some other ways of picking ourselves up? Comforting ourselves? Anything non-food related. Let’s get some ideas going. There are loads of different people with different ideas and I’m sure we can get some inspiration from each other. They don’t have to be things that cost you money, or just a few £s…but would stop you turning to food for comfort.

· Buy yourself a lovely new soap or bath bomb and have a long bath with candles.
· Buy a scented candle for your home
· Put your favourite CD on and dance round the room like a loony
· Try on all your old fat-clothes…see how far you’ve come already
· Watch your favourite DVD
· Go for a long walk (possibly with your OH and/or family too) to blow the cobwebs away
· Paint your nails…and toenails to match (and you can't eat with newly-painted fingers)

Over to you friends….
 
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Having sex with the OH - then putting it on the Body Magic sheet! ;-)

JOOOOKEEE!! Ok ok, going to HMV and seeing what cool DVDs have found their way into the £3 and under section for me to snaffle.

Checking the SW website for treat recipes to try out

Getting my little sister (trainee hairdresser) to trim my fringe and do my makeup

TIDYING the house! It really makes me feel happy to see a nice tidy gaff!
 
When I'm feeling fed up and wanting to stray I pick a new recipe to try (this weekend I discover Bombay Green Curry from the Curry Feast Book). I love to cook and there's nothing better then feeling like you've cheated the system by filling up on a tasty free/low syn recipe. Well that plus the fact that I listen to my cheeist CD's while cooking, Sound of Music is my current fav, not sure the neighbours enjoy it though!!x
 
I used to turn to food , but when I feel like this now I get the wii out(well actually it's all set up ready to go) and do a workout on Sports active. It really works off my frustration, and I can swear at the trainer and he doesn't answer back!
Also try on the clothes I couldn't get into at Xmas. Now most of them fit and some are too big :D
 
OMG how could I forget TRYING ON CLOTHES THAT ARE TOO BIG!

BRILL suggestion! :D
 
I knit, you can't knit and eat, you have to concentrate and you have something to show for it at the end. Mind you I havn't done any knitting since son was born.
 
I knit and Cross Stitch too.


I also do indoor/sit down gardening - I sit in my green house and look after all my salad, veg and tomato plants and my porch and conservatory are full of indoor potted plants and cacti, so they all keep me busy, DH see's to the outside gardening.

These hobbies all keep my hands busy and my brain focused on something other than food...
 
I dance! I love dancing, so stick on any sort of music really loud and have a bop around the lounge!
I also have discovered my love for the gym and walking again.
 
This forum is my comfort balnket with all you lovely people to communicate with xxxx
 
Reading - I love a good book, I have a stash waiting to read, and magazines - especially the foodie ones!

Crafting - I make cards and so want to start scrapbooking. I also knit - I started a cardi last year and really want to finish it, I've not done any for months.

What else, emailing old friends or picking up the phone for a chat - I have many friends all over the country who I barely keep in touch with, it wouldn't hurt to ring and would easily kill an hour when I could be shoving food in my mouth.

Err, I like Vixxster's first suggestion...... (not always possible though, kids, etc!)

Go shopping!!!

Thanks for the thread, it's made me want to pick up my crafting and reading on an evening again when I want to eat or when I feel low.

xxx
 
1) Buy a new (cheap) lipstick, in an unlikely shade. It's fun, feels like "dressing up" and may even turn out to suit you! This can cheer up a mild attack of the blues.

2) Address the issue that is winding you up (or down). Have the argument, fill in the Tax Return, change the light-bulb... Whatever ACTUALLY needs to be done, that you're avoiding whilst you eat. This is the real answer to serious misery, most of the time.

3) Shout at the cat, smoke a few cigarettes, fantasise about doing filthy and wildly inapprorpriate things with Robert Webb... These are my own, personal outlets and are not recommended for anyone else to use.
 
Mine are
1 Make a cup of tea, the little ritual of putting the kettle on etc calms me down and nothing feels better when your upset than hot cup of tea
2 Go for a walk with my little boy in his buggy, you cant stay sad/angry/down when your getting extremly excited over a dog/bird/bus.
 
I love all these mine are light pottering in the garden planning my next camping trip dancing/singing round the kitchen with my daughter doing my teaching plans and trying on big/small clothes.
 
Getting my watercolour pencils and stamps out and colouring!
Making a new piece of jewellery
or my 'secret' vice buying a home decor magazine and perusing that.
Or my big pile of library books
 
Sounds silly but I like to do things like paint my nails or try out new make up. Xx

Sent from my iPhone using MiniMins
 
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