I will be sleeved in the next few weeks and I realize that I use food as my drug. I've been seeing a counselor for months and I know I'm a food addict.

I'm trying to find things to help me cope when I can't use food for comfort or (fill in any other emotion here). I know I can't go back to my drug of choice when I'm feeling these emotions, but I want to be prepared with some other activities that could fill those needs. What have you found to fill this need? What do you do when you are craving food out of boredom, or when you're upset?

I used to be addicted to food, I was a bad closet eater. But now Im addicted to working out, yoga, bike riding, pretty much any exercise. But I have developed an abdominal hernia (Im at 5 months) and have to lay off all exercise for a while which really really bums me out. So I suppose Ill do more sewing As long as my hands or my body is busy, Im all good.

My house is getting Martha Stewart clean . Two birds, one stone. Good luck!

Walking in the morning. The exercise sets up my day and brightens my outlook.

Playing computer games. It distracts me.

Applying lotion, lip gloss, or perfume. The smell and feeling is so soothing.

Reading the boards to remember that I want to be successful and that it does take work.

Calling a friend.

Telling myself I can have the treat food later.

Reminding myself that there is plenty of the treat food in the world. I do not need to eat it now; it will be there later.

Looking at my cute new clothes.

Lynda

Lynda thank you so much for the feedback. I do get caught up in my emotions and found myself eating out of stress a few days back. It was so scary.

I also recommend that you look up some healthy snacks that help with our moods that affects the neurotransmitters in our brain like seratonic, dopamine, etc. There was an article by Dr Oz on the Oprah Winfrey's Today's Thoughts that gave examples of healthy thoughts. I will locate it and post it later.

Head Hunger is something that needs to be worked on as well as mindless eating. These are our challenges 24 hours a day/7 days a week. We can do this........

Taking a bath with aromatherapy oils.

Cleaning out old, loose clothes out of the closet to donate to the disadvantaged.

Talking on the phone.

Being outside

Chatting here on-line.

10 minutes of meditation.

Trying to learn how to knit or picking up an old needlepoint.

Writing a real old-fashioned letter.

Doing a little something for others.

popsicles, popsicles, popsicles.

Please post more. I need all the ideas I can get.

At this stage in my journey, I (Thank God) don't struggle with emotional eating. It helps that I released a lot of negativity from my life recently! BUT, work keeps my mind busy & when not at work, I try to stay busy with friends. When alone, I like to watch various things on my phone via Youtube. I also spend a lot of time speaking with close family that lives MILES away. Oh, & I exercise, too. These are all of the things that help me.

Taking a bath with aromatherapy oils.

Cleaning out old, loose clothes out of the closet to donate to the disadvantaged.

Talking on the phone.

Being outside

Chatting here on-line.

10 minutes of meditation.

Trying to learn how to knit or picking up an old needlepoint.

Writing a real old-fashioned letter.

Doing a little something for others.

popsicles, popsicles, popsicles.

Please post more. I need all the ideas I can get.

These are great things!

One more: I do like Sleepy Time Tea with splenda, sugar free hot apple cider mix, 15 calorie Lemonaide by Minute Maid (I cut it 50/50 with Water post-op), and now that I can tolerate fizzy drinks again, I like diet 7-up with a bunch of lime juice added.

Lynda

I am still young in this process too:) Thank you for posting this since it has been on my mind a lot lately. I have been doing a lot of soul searching to find out what I really like to do (besides eat or food related activities)

Lately when I want to eat mindlessly because of whatever reason, usually boredom, I am experimenting with;

reading a book

going outside for a walk

getting in the pool or hot tub

yoga

weights

cleaning

driving to WDW to walk around (season passes and 15 min drive)

internet surfing, researching

I think I need to pick up a craft to keep my hands busy....

Oh yeah and coming here to read!

I agree that keeping that hands busy helps. That's why TV isn't on my list. Harder to ignore the call of the wild food when watching TV. Last night I had to resort to the trick my brain thought that the food is plentiful and will be there later. It worked though and I'm happier this morning for it. Instead of a snack I had a cup of Sleepy Time tea right before I went to bed. I wanted a snack, but I knew I had already eaten enough and I was full.

Lynda

I used to be addicted to food, I was a bad closet eater. But now Im addicted to working out, yoga, bike riding, pretty much any exercise. But I have developed an abdominal hernia (Im at 5 months) and have to lay off all exercise for a while which really really bums me out. So I suppose Ill do more sewing As long as my hands or my body is busy, Im all good.

Thanks for sharing. I can only hope to enjoy exercise one day . I think once I've lost some weight it will become more enjoyable and less painful. I enjoy swimming right now, but my knees don't like a lot of other cardio right now.

I notice you started at the same weight I am (pre-op). You've lost so much in 5 months! I can't wait to see results like that. My surgery is 5/22

You guys are awesome - thanks for the great ideas! I'm going to try a few things and see what works for me. My counselor said I need to find something that fills each need (comfort, boredom, sad, happy). For instance, what works for boredom may not work when I'm wanting food for comfort.

I was also thinking about painting. I don't think of myself as an artistic person but I've also never tried it. Even if I'm no good, it may be a helpful release for me emotionally.

Funny, I've been thinking about this a lot as my surgery approaches. Here is the list I've made for myself. I'll be adding some of the ideas mentioned above thanks to all.

Things to do instead of eat! Ha!

Read to the boys

Clean

Work out

Read a book

Do homework

Do activities with the boys

Ride bikes with the boys

Have relations

Practice makeup

Watch makeup and hair videos

Sew

Take staged pics of the boys

Plan dive trip or vacation

Watch a movie with hubs

Watch a girly series

^^

That was copied and pasted from my notes. Im loling that I actually used the word "relations."

Writing. It keeps my hands busy and my head into something other than food. I've wanted to be a writer since I was 9 years old. I started about 3-4 books at a very young age. But, I allowed myself to second-guess writing as a realistic career over the years. So, I eventually gave it up.

Just as I was a closet eater pre-op, I am now a closet writer. I'm not comfortable with anyone reading my stories. I'm embarrassed because I usually bear my heart and soul in my writings (in both fiction and non-fiction stories). My goal is to actually finish a story, then eventually share it with someone.

~Jenn