How do you tackle emotional eating?

Lilysun

Active Member
Messages
29
Hi all,
So with lots of useful tips and encouragement from the lovely people here on this forum, I started my low carb, healthy eating journey a couple of weeks ago. I was doing well - in just a couple weeks I have lost around 3kg and already felt so much better - until last night. I was having a horribly stressful day, after what had been a very stressful week. I was upset and had an argument with my partner which was just the final straw. That evening I caved and ordered pizza. And had ice cream.

I feel absolutely awful and like I have let myself down. I know setbacks will happen and that I’m only human and will slip up. But I wanted to know if there are others on here who have been used to “treating” themselves with junk food when they feel stressed. How do you manage to not eat emotionally? I make poor eating decisions when I’m stressed but it’s so hard sometimes not to just give in. And I really want to minimise this happening again or il never reach my goals! Any tips?
 

woollygal

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,485
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Coffee diabetes
Hi all,
So with lots of useful tips and encouragement from the lovely people here on this forum, I started my low carb, healthy eating journey a couple of weeks ago. I was doing well - in just a couple weeks I have lost around 3kg and already felt so much better - until last night. I was having a horribly stressful day, after what had been a very stressful week. I was upset and had an argument with my partner which was just the final straw. That evening I caved and ordered pizza. And had ice cream.

I feel absolutely awful and like I have let myself down. I know setbacks will happen and that I’m only human and will slip up. But I wanted to know if there are others on here who have been used to “treating” themselves with junk food when they feel stressed. How do you manage to not eat emotionally? I make poor eating decisions when I’m stressed but it’s so hard sometimes not to just give in. And I really want to minimise this happening again or il never reach my goals! Any tips?
For me that was cravings for carbs. it is really really hard but so worth it. If you can don’t have anything in the house, enlist your partner to stop you having that sort of food in the house and maybe set yourself a deadline and then see how you feel.

I used to be terrible and to be honest had a major blowout last week which bought out so many of, destrucful habits but it was just carbs. I’ve struggled all week because I want carbs. I end up eating more but I eat what I can eat so meat. I have pork belly and just eat that whenever I want something, I drink tea or something else.

It’s incredibly hard but only you can do it. It is just one slip though so today go back to being good and put it in the past.

I know that a week after I start being strict I will crave more than ever. It’s about being aware f what it is and not giving it the power,
I’m having some Easter egg this weekend. It’s my downfall! But Monday I’ll be back on the diet and it will be toug, my body will do everything it can to make me eat the stuff I can’t. It’s easier in lockdown because I don’t go out. If I’m out and about I have to be really careful. It will get better and it will be easier to say no. You just have to get past the initial nastiness,

think of an alcoholic or drug addict. I don’t see any difference with sugar to be honest. The brain doesn’t see a difference, addiction is addiction and UID your body wants it it will almost make you believe that you will die without it.
You won’t

you have got this
Good luck
 

Goonergal

Master
Retired Moderator
Messages
13,466
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi @Lilysun

It’s a difficult one. Very difficult. Firstly I’d say don’t beat yourself up. Draw a line and move on - try and make it one aberration, rather than a downward spiral. Posting here is a great step!

My first suggestion - which wouldn’t have helped last night - is not to have foods you’d rather not eat in the house. That means you need to make more of an effort to get them, and that in itself might stop a relapse.

Secondly, try and find another outlet for the stress/emotion - going for a walk, or phoning a friend, for example. Or focusing on a hobby/activity for half an hour. Something that will distract you for long enough.

I don’t know whether this applies to you, but I’ve come to realise that for me it’s not just emotional eating that is an issue, but addictions and cravings. They’ve reduced overtime, but need to abstain from even low carb ‘treats’ (nut butter, keto baked goods, keto ice cream) in order not to slide back into old ways.

If that does sound like you, you might find this thread useful

https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/food-addiction-and-diabetes.156651/

and also this book (which is currently free on Kindle unlimited:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fork-Road-Hopeful-Guide-Freedom/dp/B08XX4ZH3F
 
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Pinkorchid

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,927
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
We are only human and every one needs a treat sometimes whatever it may be that makes life a bit more bearable the way it is at the moment and we should never beat our self up about that
My treat will be Sunday at my daughters house as her household are my Covid support bubble I will have a meal there and whatever she cooks I will eat that is a treat for me and back to my normal moderate carbs diet on Monday
 

KK123

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,967
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Gosh, this is a hard one and a lot depends on the type of person you know yourself to be. All I would say is that when you think of these carby foods as 'treats' or something to go for to 'cheer yourself up', or an item that you cannot ordinarily eat because you deserve punishment (ok that's going a bit far I know), then you will NEVER be rid of their allure. It definitely is a habit as opposed to anything else I reckon. I think all of us at the start go through the same thing, I loved a big old slice of sourdough bread so literally banned it from the house. Then I realised that making everybody else avoid it too or seething when they ate a doughnut (which I never even ate before!!!) was ridiculous and showed I was allowing OTHERS to control me, I think it was actual jealousy! In the end YOU have to make the choice not to eat food groups that you are addicted to or just want whether you have easy access to them or not. Once you get into that 'new' habit it becomes so much easier to think, 'Well if I want something then I can have it but I choose not to'. Don't think of low/lower carb etc, as a 'diet' (who ever sticks to a 'diet'), but as normal food to be enjoyed NOT a second best. It's almost like going into a self destruct mode isn't it, you're feeling down so 'who cares anyway' kicks in. Words are cheap of course and the reality is much harder but I tend to go for a run or walk if I've had a row!! x