New guy: Weight loss hampered by emotional eating

[dan79]

Hello all, I'm new around here.

I am getting married in 3.5 months and my fiancée and I are both using the app Lose It! to track calories. It is working well, but about once a week my rebellious streak kicks in and I give in. This usually happens when I have a lot of job related stress. It feels like I'm an animal in a cage that is trying to break free. To me overeating junk and throwing caution to the wind is my mind's idea of how to be "free." Yes, I know that doesn't make logical sense but it is how things work in my mind.

Two days ago I ate double my daily allotment for calories. I was triggered by accumulated stress at my job, and the straw that broke the camel's back was an unusually heavy traffic jam.

The problem is, once I fall off the wagon, I want to give up. It feels too difficult because it is almost impossible to control my cravings when I am stressed. During the rest of the time I do well and I successfully track my calories and I lose weight, but I am frequently discouraged by the times I lose control and I want to give up on everything and just eat ice cream and cookies.

If you have any successful suggestions for overcoming this problem, I would really appreciate it.

[dan79]

I will also cross post this to the Weight Loss section

[Dilnad]

Welcome Dan!

You took the first step. Your here!!!

[Lil’Rali]

i know what you mean. I've been down that road and through that cycle many times. I have been trying something different recently - the gabriel method. Pretty much I've stopped counting calories, I have just made sure I get healthy foods in me, and now I'm adding the workout part. On top of that I've been practicing nightly visualizations that feel like a mix between self hypnosis and meditation. It may not be for everyone, but I've really enjoyed it and have been more mindful of everything daily. Plus, I don't have the stress about what to eat and what not to eat. I haven't taken a look at the diet section of the forums yet, but I plan to. Good luck with everything and congrats on the wedding  

[dan79]

I have found the following helpful link for emotional eating:

http://m.helpguide.org/articles/diet-weight-loss/emotional-eating

I appreciate the comment on the Gabriel method. I am fine with my diet, but when a strong emotion comes I wouldn't be able to stick to ANY diet, I would head straight for cookies and ice cream.

The nightly visualization is a good idea and would probably help. How exactly do you do those?

[Lil’Rali]

I'll take a look at that guide. Thanks for sharing the information. 

 

For the visualization I have been using the free one from the Gabriel method, but if you don't want to do that the best thing to do is find some kind of relaxation or meditation music that is about 10-30 minutes. Find a picture of the body you want and look at it for a few minutes and picture yourself with that body doing the things you like to do or want to do. Then start the song and think about a wave of relaxation and calmness flowing over your body starting with your head. And little by little during the 30 minutes allow your whole body to relax. I think about the next day and the things I want to accomplish, the time I want to get up, and anything new habit I want to incorporate (drinking lots of water is mine right now). I also think back to the body that I want and then I just picture myself in that body as much as possible. 

 

I'm new to the whole meditation thing so I'm also learning along the way. At first I thought the visualization thing was really stupid, but at this point I have been willing to try anything. I really like it so far. It may not be for everyone though. 

[cn3wton]

Cutting food intake down in big ways takes a lot of willpower. Being honest with yourself is the first step. 

 

If you don't have to willpower to do it fast, you will have to take it slow. Focus on lowering your portion sizes by a little bit each week, that will ease you into the transition.

 

Good luck.