Old habits die hard - emotional eating

[andisuewho 2]

I am really struggling. I had my gastric sleeve surgery just over 5 months ago. I've done well, but I'm now finding myself standing in front of the refrigerator or the food pantry when I'm stressed. I don't ever get sick if I overeat. I haven't thrown up since the day after surgery. Please help...any advice? Surely someone else must be experiencing this!

[MistyAnnMoon829 387]

I'm definitely in the same boat as you. I'm going through a break up right now, and at 11 months out I can definitely eat anything and when I'm feeling particularly emotional I want to. What I do is, if I just can't stop myself, I try to make a better choice. Like for instance on top of going through a break up, I'm starting my period and it makes me pretty ravenous, so instead of eating ice cream, or baked good (which I try very hard to keep out of my house), I heated up a Gordon's Fisherman Grilled Tilapia fillet, popped it in the micro, and put a little BBQ Sauce on it. It helped me feed the need and it was under 100 calories. Or I'll eat some celery with Walden Farms 0 calorie ranch/thousand island dressing and a little Sriracha. Super under my cals and it has a nice crunch and feeds the flavor craving, or my last and more favorite go to is beef Jerky. 1 oz is about 80 cals and a nice amount of Protein. Or if I'm craving sweets I'll drink a pre-made Protein shake like the GNC Lean 25 Mint chocolate layer cake flavor (soooooooo good).

Now this isn't something I do every time, sometimes my emotions get the best of me but I take it in stride, and tomorrow is another day, or I ensure my remainder of the day is as binge free as possible. I try not to be overly hard on myself as I am only human.

I know a lot of people recommend exercising, but it's over 100 degree out here at almost any time of the day right now which makes me wilt. So if you have the ability flood your body with good endorphins, go take a walk, or go to the gym, call up a friend, go see a movie, or go shopping. I'm trying to exchange my emotional eating for emotional shopping, sometimes just the act of putting something on a wish list and not buying it helps as well. Good luck, hope one of my ideas helps!

[Willow822 24]

Thats tough and I really understand where you are coming from. Since surgery I have discovered just how addicted to sugar I really am. I crave it from morning until bedtime. I have tried eating very small amounts of sweet fruit and it helps control my cravings and keeps me from raiding the cookie cabinet. If a craving hits, I'll have a small bite of cantaloupe or watermelon and then wait. If I'm still wanting something I drink some Water and get moving (take a walk, clean the house, etc). Its the only solution I have found to help me work through it.

[Inner Surfer Girl 12,015]

Sounds like you might want to consider getting some help now that you have identified some of the issue. Do you have a counselor or therapist? Do you attend a bariatric support group? If not, you may want to consider finding someone. Also, you might want to see if there is an OA meeting in your area (OA.org).

Best of luck.

[Butterflyhigh 504]

Uh oh. You're at the make it or break it point. If you want to have lifelong success with this wls you will need to replace those old habits with new ones.

I'll never forget, about 8 weeks post-op, I had a fight with my ex about the kids. I was so frusterated, angry, hurt, etc. Having lost the ability to stuff food in my body and dampen the unwanted emotions...I literally just paced the floors and screamed at the top of my lungs, pulled my hair, pounded my fists. It was impotent rage and I had no way of coping with it without food.

I started walking around my property. I would hop in my old pick-up truck and drive around town. I started writing in my journal. I played piano and guitar. Those coping skills started to work!! And it is so much emotionally healthy to actually DEAL with those emotions instead of eating them down. Eventually I discoverd Yoga. Yoga for me is like preventive medicine...it keeps my emotional self balanced before I hit that crazy level of frusteration.

Bordeom eating is still an issue for me. But I totally can recognize now as head hunger vs real hunger. And now when I'm bored, instead of eating I rely on one of my other healthy coping skills.

This is the when the lifelong changes happen. It's not the inablity to eat large amounts of food that will change your life...it is hitting the RESET button on your relationship with food that will change the rest of your life.

Food=Fuel. And when you treat it stictly as such, the freedom you've got is unbelievable.

Good Luck!!