Stress Eating
 

My husband and I are going through a difficult time. I haven't really had the energy to exercise, but I need to start doing that again today - I have lower back issues and I'm hurting because I haven't been working on my core.

Typically, when I am stressed out, I eat less. I just lose interest in food. And that's what happened when this started. But now, a week in, it is SO HARD not to eat everything in the house. I have had great willpower, and I believe I can keep on with staying away from the snacks he keeps in the house (he's got a sweet tooth). Cheese is an issue for me, but there's really only a little in the house, and it's for a recipe I'm making for dinner tonight.

I guess I'm just looking for encouragement. What do you do when you want to go on a crazy binge? I am still losing weight (haven't gone up an ounce since this started) and I don't want that to change.

Make sure you're getting enough sleep. If you're not sleeping well, take naps or go to bed earlier if you can, and read a light novel to help you get drowsy. Read until you ARE drowsy.

Ultimately, working on your skills of negotiation and compromise and everything else involved in marital stress will help you the most.

And your tenacity sticking to your diet and still losing weight is something you can be very proud of!

Hi there-
I go through this alot- ive always comfort eaten when ive been stressed or had a falling out-i have to say though that now its boredom and evening tv that gets me wanting to snack! Im trying to curb the cravings but its not easy. I cook every evening which is what i look forward to and kinda helps me mid afternoon to not snack- i know that if ive already gone over calories before then i wont enjoy my meal.
My partner also has a sweet tooth and always has biscuits, cream choc eclairs and other goodies but when it comes to eating them he has them when im not around and when we go shopping he insists i always get in some healthy low-fat/low-cal sweet treat for myself to enjoy. I eat marshmallows, wwatchers biscuits (85cals for 2) ice lollies (30 cals), yoghurts (60 cals), laughing cow extra light cheese triangles (20 cal each).
Ive also got 2 children so ive usually got a few treats in for them too but as long as there is just anything that i can grab when others are indulging then im ok. It was hard today though- they had ice-cream with a caramel wafer and i could have had a bowl but didnt! Its my own fault though for buying it.

Keeping busy helps- readings great or a long bath and pamper with some nice beauty products, going for a nice walk- fresh air usually helps me.
I spent 3 hours this evening blitz cleaning the kids room after tea- just anything to to take my mind away from food.
Im finding it hard this week-

Well done on continued weight loss- there are times when its going to be tougher but staying focused on the reasons to do it and remembering the feeling of seeing the scales move help to at times stop me from reaching for the chocolate- something i love and havent been able to find low fat enough!

Sorry for going on so much tonight-ive been that busy ive missed chatting!

Healthy alternatives
 

I do those things too - reach for the healthy stuff instead. I did cave and buy some ice cream, but after I had a bowl or two it's just sitting in the freezer, waiting to be eaten by my husband or thrown out once trash day comes around.

I should buy some of the laughing cow cheese. I've kept those little wedges around before, and they really are a help. They also have the little cheese wheels that are around 40 calories apiece, which are good. Cheese is one of those things that my body craves. A couple of years ago, I lost a hundred pounds, and I cut it almost completely out of my diet. That sucked.

But I've just finished a cup of grapes. I made a low-fat moussaka last night which, aside from the lamb, is almost all zucchini (didn't have any eggplant).

I exercised last night and it felt good for awhile, but afterwards I just felt fat. Ick.

Also, Tracy, I have to say it's nice to hear the British flavour in your "voice." I lived in England for a time while I was getting my first degree, and I miss it quite a bit.

I tried to post yesterday and it all disappeared- i was so annoyed.
Ive done well to resist the ice cream so far lol.
Have to congratulate you on losing the 100lbs. I know how difficult it can be to lose a large amount of weight.
I lost most of my weight a few years back and i regret not exercising but i wasnt informed enough about it back then. I got a wake up call yesterday....i was washing my hair over the bath and i looked down and could see my saggy stomach hanging off me like it wasnt even part of me. After feeling so confident with myself it just got me feeling really body consious again. I hope i can change it though with out surgery but part of me is thinking i cant.

I love the sound of your moussaka with courgettes. Im not that keen on eggplant/aubergine. When i cook with it i dont seem to enjoy it. I think i will try and make moussaka and use courgette- never done that before.

I plan to go swimming this weekend with kids- probably wont be swimming much but it gets me out of the cupboards and temptation of kitchen.
Im going to prepare and make chicken stew in slow cooker. I will be looking forward to a nice healthy meal when i get in.

Laughing Cow triangles are great! They make my atkins low carb crackers edible, and that's saying something!

I find that when I stress eat I'm not really conscious of what I'm doing. I've started wearing a thin delicate bracelet on my right wrist, every time I see it I'm reminded that I'm on a health kick and that I'm doing this for me and not to self sabotage. When I'm in the supper market if I'm tempted to buy junk I twist it or focus on it and deep breath until I can focus again.

I also find that when going food shopping it really helps to have a set list of what your going in for and to get in and out as quickly as poss! Also not keeping anything tempting in the house is really important for me.

I'm really inspired by both of your weight loss journeys ladies.

When the binge monster strikes my strategy is to go and make myself a cup of hot tea and slowly sip it. I do nothing else, no TV, no book, just sit and sip and I give myself a review. I think about why I'm putting myself through this and what my goals and aims are, I think about the craving I'm having - is it a specific food or just food that I'm craving, I think about what caused this, was it a stress related moment and how I can resolve that.

Drinking the tea takes about 15 mins and by the time I've drunk the tea I then decide what I'm going to do, talk to my other half, eat something good or bad, go for a walk, clean something or phone a friend to talk things through.

It doesn't always work sometimes the binge monster wins and I have a blow out and then I forget about it.

Eat a half a cantaloupe. It's approximately 150 calories give or take some, you'll be stuffed and won't feel like eating after that.

If I ate just cantaloupe I would be hungrier afterwards than when I started. But half a cup of cottage cheese plus a wedge of cantaloupe cut into bite-sized pieces is a sweet snack that doesn't trigger hunger/cravings.

Brilliant idea. My dad used to do this all the time.

Unfortunately, now I've started smoking again to kick the binge habit. It's worked, but now I'm smoking!

Argh.