Comfort Eating(didn't really think about it till now)

I'm not sure if I'm a comfort eater, although if I'm down in the dumps the last thing I worry about is how many calories I'm consuming
I would say my mouth gets bored. I enjoy eating for its' own sake.

Leggs you have just reminded me! one of our cats used to pester life out of me when eating cheese n onion crisp ! I love ch/on crips butties....Ive just been T*scos and bought bumper pack (14) of crisps cos cheaper than buying 6 pack...also pack of Thai sweet chilli...Ive already eaten 2 pcks of the Thia chilli ones and! pack of cheese n onion....why did GS ask me to buy some crips...(must admit I had no other treats in for him) (cos I had EATEN them all)!!

Oh gosh - I recognise myself in all of these posts. Especially eating a two pack cupcake and a pack of twirls. Every week I determine to be better, eat better and look after myself and weeks and months come and go, I've tried both the best known slimming groups. I start with the best intentions and then I'm even worse! I think someone telling me what I should eat makes me rebell!! I'm sure it's an addiction to sugar. Help!

Skinny Popcorn is my go to snack when I go browsing in the kitchen a handful seems to satisfy me.

By the way, if you need a garden to dig, I have one sorely in need!

legs55 my cat was very partial to crisps too!

You are not alone. I am overweight and eat too much. The main problem I have is I don't like salad and only a few vegetables. When I snack I have a weakness for savory food and in particular cheese. I know I eat too much but if I get upset by something I always want cheese or chocolate.

I'm not sure I'm an emotional eater but do often crave 'rubbish' food. I used to be able to eat a whole jar on Nutella in a week - just spoonfuls of the stuff and always after my daily ice lolly which I kid myself is better than a bar of chocolate I recently downloaded a gastric band app where people have lost a lot of weight via hypnosis. The main point of the guidelines is that you often think you're hungry when actually you're thirsty so drink a glass of water - it does seem to work. If you're still hungry then eat but only eat when you are hungry. My husband would be classed as a bored eater - he sits on a night and snacks on everything from crisps to chocolate and particularly peanut butter simply because he's bored and sat in front of the tv. He lost 4 stones a few years back but has gradually put it back on and I really worry about his health but not sure how to break his habit either.

I reach for something each time I need to do some admin. Admin being my least favourite task, would rather clean the oven. Will try to break the habit, not sure how other than perhaps a glass of cold water. The evenings aren't too bad as they aren't admin time .

I try to have a healthy diet (Type 2 Diabetic), eat plenty of veg, try to stick to no more than 2 portions of fruit a day. My biggest downfall is cups of coffee, only 2 a day but must have 2 tsps of sugar, nothing else hits the spot, no biscuits though.

Since I was diagnosed with Epilepsy in 2003 I have found it very difficult to lose weight (AEDs can slow metabolism), also my mobility isn't good so walking (which I love) is difficult, Catch 22 situation as my GP described it.

Last year I lost a stone in about a month causing my GP some concern but I re-assured her that I had being doing lots of digging in the garden, put weight back on over the winter & haven't managed to lose it this year.

Just had cheese & biscuits whilst on GN but I did have a healthy stir fry for dinner. Not a particular sweet tooth but love crisps (cheese & onion to share with the cat)

I believe I'm what's called an emotional eater. I like the thought of eating and go to the fridge or cupboard to get a little something. I'm not particularly hungry - I just feel like something.
The lymphoma nurse said that I could start trying to lose weight now as before she said it was dangerous - don't know why. For perfection I need to lose about two stone but I seem to be self-sabotaging myself which is silly. I don't want to go through the rest of my life being shaped like a beer barrel. So, I must gird my loins and get serious.

Well at least you realised on your own. It was pointed out to me at the pain clinic. They suggested politely if I lost even half a stone being a petite lady it might help improve the walking and the sciatica. After my husband died I only wanted to eat dark chocolate. I struggled to lose on my own so eventually joined a well known group. The ladies and one gentleman were so supportive. Suggesting returning to knitting and even buying me colouring books to occupy my hands in the evening. I have never eaten such health food. I lost a whole stone, a lot when small.
Good luck

I too crave in the evenings but having lost 9 stone in weight I always make sure I have "supper" calories left for 9pm. Usually have a yogurt and banana. I slip and then I will eat and eat but get back on track the next day.
I also crave when I am bored and not had enough to drink so am probably dehydrated.

Twirls are sometimes £1 at my Coop, I buy them with the idea of one finger a day but within one day all 8 fingers disappear. In the pantry are biscuits for DCs and DGCs. The other evening, although not hungry I thought I would open a packet of Leinbiz choc biscuits, just have one but I ate the whole lot. Sometimes Thorntons little chocolate squares are £1 - I can eat a whole packet straight off. I loathe myself afterwards for my lack of self control, this week I've put on 3 pounds although I'm still not overweight. It's in the evenings that I have this urge to eat and it's not because I'm hungry. No-one in the family knows about my secret eating. I have been very fed up recently and this unnecessary eating adds to my fed-up-ness.

I don't know if this will help, but when the urge to comfort eat strikes, I have a cup of diet hot chocolate, which is about 40 calories.
It feels like a treat and seems to dull the need for snacking!

I think when you are down , it's away of doing something nice for yourself. A treat. It's similar to the kids on social media. Except they look for LIKES. Get that small hit of delight. Then I think it becomes an obsession. Distractions would help .

I've been an emotional eater all my life!
I was lucky and could eat virtually anything I wanted and not gain weight though, so I got used to being a proper little piggy.
However, pregnancy seemed to change my metabolism, and after DS was born I started gaining weight very quickly!
I'm a grazer, I can sit down and have a good, healthy, filling dinner, then while I'm washing the dishes I'll pinch a couple of biscuits, or a lump of cheese, I don't even realise I'm doing it!
I went and had hypnotherapy three years ago, and it worked very well, but twelve months later I had a big emotional upheaval and went back to my previous eating pattern!
I've started losing a bit of weight now due to running around after DGS, and I don't graze when he's here, I'm too busy and also I don't want him thinking constant eating is okay,
I'm going to have to give myself a good talking to, I'm not happy being as big as I am at the moment, but the only one able to change it is me!

I'm so ashamed at the way I eat - putting on weight like nobody's business - I used to be so slim. Such a shame. I can't walk into the kitchen without looking for something to eat, can't sit and read or watch the to without eating at the same time.

I do so envy people who just eat at meal times and don't yearn to eat all the time.

I lost my husband two years ago. I have always been a healthy eater and a size 8. Now I live alone and my whole pattern of eating has changed and there is now and emotional edge to it. I have just got into the habit of comfort eating. No matter how many healthy snacks I have I still crave sugar or salt.
I work all day and never even think of food but as soon as I come home I’m looking for snacks mostly sugar but high salt works too. I am a teacher so about to spend a long summer off work. I am by no means fat or even over weight
( yet) but I am constantly battling with it. I try not to buy rubbish but with grandkids you need to have some treats in store.
I can so relate to the cupcake story above. It’s like I convince myself I need to eat it all just to get it out of the house so I can then be good after its gone. I am disciplined in every other way so this is all at odds with who I am.
I am not sure why they call it comfort eating as I find it depressing.
My daughter said I should try drinking very cold cucumber or tonic water when I get the need to comfort eat. I have just been and brought some but I really need to deal with the emotional issues that are causing me to try and fill a gap that’s not hunger.

My answer is ..... don't buy it in! I (through monetary circumstances) never buy things like biscuits, cakes etc. as I know I'd eat them if they were there. When I'm in the supermarket I just say to myself "Why would you buy this (cake?) when you could spend your money on 'healthy things' and all it is is filled with sugar, will make you fat, rot your teeth and you don't 'need' it!!!!! Works for me every time!!!!! Good luck!

It's sugar! I once treated myself to a two-pack cup-cakes, they were reduced, so a bargain I thought. My husband didn't want one so I tucked into one and thought I would save the other for later. No way! I ate the first one, and I must say, it was absolutely DISGUSTING, tasteless, apart from the wholly sugary icing on top which actually tasted unpleasant. Well, I bravely ate it all and then........I desperately wanted to eat the second one, so I did. Now I realise that is what happens when you eat sugar, even though you don't want it you have to have it. Never again.

Try to keep your hands busy whilst watching tv ,I do knitting or crochet, eat something like fruit if you need a snack or nuts not the salty kind ,

Food is a great love substitute...........we don't choose it to be, but it is.

I am huge and have been through repeated bereavements and live alone and do not believe one biscuit can be enough........one packet more like. I have tried buying less delicious stuff.....and then just fill up with tasteless crap..........

Answers please.

I have IBS not too much fruit for me or veg.........

I have just had my garden turfed and will buy a light, push mower and do a small amount of exercise and wait and see..........

Either the weight falls off or a robot mower is going on my Christmas list.

I too am guilty, and being very short, I really can not afford to carry extra weight.

You might find that cleaning your teeth would deflect you from eating for a while.

Or perhaps a glass of water with ice and a slice might slow down the eating.

Hugs. (Perhaps check out some groups/clubs in the area that interest you?)

I too am a grazer ! And yes it's boredom or habit at times. I now don't keep anything in the house that would tempt me ! Even the treats for my grandchildren are bits that I don't personally like so I would not be tempted at all. I also floss and clean my teeth at 8 in the evening, so I def would not eat after that, and will only drink water.