I'm an emotional eater. I eat when I'm happy to Celebrate fun times and I eat when I'm sad to find comfort. Unfortunately I'm having a rotten day and I'm on my pre-op diet so I can't run to the fridge to grab something to make myself feel better. So I'm sitting here in tears trying to figure out what I can do to give myself some comfort. I thought about going for a walk outside, but the wind is blowing 50 mph so that's out. I realize that learning to comfort myself in other ways is part of the lifestyle change. But that doesn't mean it's easy. Fortunately as I type this I'm starting to feel a little better. This all makes me think of the people who have said to me that getting banded was the "easy" way out. This is definately not easy. But anything worth doing is going to be harder than you think. So what do the rest of you "emotional eaters" do to replace the satisfaction you once got from grabbing some chocolate or some chips from the cupboard?

~~Be gentle with yourself~~

I'm hoping to figure that out myself. I eat to feel good. Now I need to do something else to feel good. Hopefully once we get this lapband it will help us to lose weight and be happier with ourselves. So we can buy new smaller clothes.

I am so there with you...I just pulled myself out of my bed after watching 3 episodes of 16 and Pregnant....having a crappy day and a chocolate Protein Shake just isn't gonna do it...

But...I think you did a great a very healthy thing by coming here and posting it; I am glad to see you even said you felt better as you are getting it out! I have an awesome therapist that I can text or e-mail when it is getting REALLY hard for me and she sends back ideas of things to do....one that I really liked was to pick a comedian you like and look up videos on YouTube....

I'm hoping to figure that out myself. I eat to feel good. Now I need to do something else to feel good. Hopefully once we get this lapband it will help us to lose weight and be happier with ourselves. So we can buy new smaller clothes.

I can't wait to buy new clothes! I can't remember the last time it was actually fun to go and try them on without feeling awful about myself!

~~Be gentle with yourself~~

I am so there with you...I just pulled myself out of my bed after watching 3 episodes of 16 and Pregnant....having a crappy day and a chocolate Protein Shake just isn't gonna do it...

But...I think you did a great a very healthy thing by coming here and posting it; I am glad to see you even said you felt better as you are getting it out! I have an awesome therapist that I can text or e-mail when it is getting REALLY hard for me and she sends back ideas of things to do....one that I really liked was to pick a comedian you like and look up videos on YouTube....

Wow maybe I need to find myself a good therapist! The comedian on Youtube is a GREAT idea!! Afterall they do say laughter is the best medicine! I ended up doing some plus size yoga. It really helps with the blues. I also learned a long time ago that if you remove your socks and shoes and go stand outside in the grass and pretend you're a tree growing limbs and roots that it helps clear your mind. Sounds kind of weird, but it works pretty good

~~Be gentle with yourself~~

Wow maybe I need to find myself a good therapist! The comedian on Youtube is a GREAT idea!! Afterall they do say laughter is the best medicine! I ended up doing some plus size yoga. It really helps with the blues. I also learned a long time ago that if you remove your socks and shoes and go stand outside in the grass and pretend you're a tree growing limbs and roots that it helps clear your mind. Sounds kind of weird, but it works pretty good

~~Be gentle with yourself~~

That's a great idea! The standing tall reaching for the trees sounds awesome. I was doing yoga a little bit before surgery and admit that I miss it now. I'm not supposed to do anything for 3 weeks so as soon as I can....

I too have had a few really depressing days lately. Not sure if it's normal ho hum and post surgery ho hum's. Like all this hype and now what. Either way I'm pretty damn good at throwing myself a huge pity party when I let myself go there. This used to involve huge amounts of my favorite (or even no so favorite) foods. So what now? Now that I can't eat a half a gallon of Ben n' Jerry's? Well I found myself driving around for one thing. Just got myself out of the house. Drove around nice neighborhoods and looked at pretty house with beautiful flowers. I also went out and bought some flowers and planted them right outside my bedroom window so I could see them first thing in the morning. Music also is a HUGE help for me.

I think this all is going to take time.

Love your quote ~~be gentle with yourself~~

j~

Yesterday I had one of those days. I ended up baking Chiabata bread, which smelled divine. Why did I do this to myself? I know I can't eat it. Still. I missed cooking and baking. It still felt good to do something I loved. I promptly gave away the loaves after watching my husband and children devour half of a loaf. So I realized baking bread was probably not the wisest way to help me out. I hiked myself over to my craft room and shut out the bread smell. I decided to sew. It's one of my hobbies and makes me feel better. I'm just going to have to turn to swing or crocheting, or whatever to replace eating. There was a study published recently that said even ten minutes of walking can release endorphins to help your mood. I think I'll hop on the elliptical if the weather is crappy. It should help.

Yesterday I had one of those days. I ended up baking Chiabata bread, which smelled divine. Why did I do this to myself? I know I can't eat it. Still. I missed cooking and baking. It still felt good to do something I loved. I promptly gave away the loaves after watching my husband and children devour half of a loaf. So I realized baking bread was probably not the wisest way to help me out. I hiked myself over to my craft room and shut out the bread smell. I decided to sew. It's one of my hobbies and makes me feel better. I'm just going to have to turn to swing or crocheting, or whatever to replace eating. There was a study published recently that said even ten minutes of walking can release endorphins to help your mood. I think I'll hop on the elliptical if the weather is crappy. It should help.

My therapist and I have been working on finding "new soothing hobbies" and I was thinking about picking up sewing again! When my girls were little little, I would make them matching outfits...now that they are older and playing with American Girl Dolls, I am sure I could make clothes for the dolls a LOT cheaper than buying them.....makes me want to pull out the sewing machine right now!

Yesterday I had one of those days. I ended up baking Chiabata bread, which smelled divine. Why did I do this to myself? I know I can't eat it. Still. I missed cooking and baking. It still felt good to do something I loved. I promptly gave away the loaves after watching my husband and children devour half of a loaf. So I realized baking bread was probably not the wisest way to help me out. I hiked myself over to my craft room and shut out the bread smell. I decided to sew. It's one of my hobbies and makes me feel better. I'm just going to have to turn to swing or crocheting, or whatever to replace eating. There was a study published recently that said even ten minutes of walking can release endorphins to help your mood. I think I'll hop on the elliptical if the weather is crappy. It should help.

My therapist and I have been working on finding "new soothing hobbies" and I was thinking about picking up sewing again! When my girls were little little, I would make them matching outfits...now that they are older and playing with American Girl Dolls, I am sure I could make clothes for the dolls a LOT cheaper than buying them.....makes me want to pull out the sewing machine right now!

I really wish I knew how to sew. I don't even know how to use a machine! It's always been a dream of mine to make a quilt. Maybe right now would be a good time to get a machine and learn!

Now would be the perfect time to pick up sewing, or get into sewing again as it may be. It kept me out of the kitchen all day

Pretty- I don't know where you live, but if you have a dedicated seeing machine store they will usually offer free classes with purchase. Or Jo-Ann's or Hobby Lobby have classes I think too.

Paint! Get some apple barrel paint and paint a flower pot. Paint on tile, Hell, paint rocks! I have a gf who just ordered "rocks" painted with little flowers in ebay to brighten up her fountain in the backyard. I'm thinking I may paint some for my garden. Maybe I'm in the wrong business!

Ok....

A...Scorpiolady...I love the pic and

2. Getting paid to paint rocks? I am in the WRONG business...

I have been walking a minimum of five miles daily for several years and find it relaxes me, helps me sleep, and takes away some of my desire to eat food I don't need. I walk two miles every day at lunch with a friend who is a faithful walker, so it's not difficult to get three more miles completed in the evening after work.

And when I already have my exercise in for the day, walking is still the strategy I use most when I want to eat, primarily during the evening. I try to make myself walk at least a mile when I am tempted, and most times, I end up walking even more unless the weather is bad. My interests are cooking, baking, reading, knitting, and other sedentary activities, so a walk works best for me because it gets me out of the house and away from food.

I've been seriously thinking about trying to replace my desire to bake and cook with sewing but don't know if I would have the patience for it. And I wish I could paint or do an artsy-type hobby, but I lack artistic talent.