Do you emotionally eat?

[crazypants]

I've started thinking about what and why I'm eating what I'm eating since I started dating a dietitian.

I ate the same large breakfast out of habit before. Two eggs on a bagel, spinach salad, juice, banana, coffee. I have since realized I'm not that hungry in the mornings and now just eat a spinach salad and a glass of milk.

I have also stopped snacking after dinner, which I did more out of boredom than hunger before, and it always made me feel like shit physically. Now that I've stopped that too- I feel awesome and way more energetic.

Which is odd because I thought I was eating really well before.

[Run Amok]

I don't think what you're describing is emotional eating. Mindfulness, perhaps, but emotional? No.

[Run Amok]

Personally, I over-eat because I like food and the "you don't taste it after a bite or two anyway" thing doesn't work for me. I guess it's more of a hobby. Plus, I also really like beer & wine, and sweets. A terrible combination!

I do not think I'm an emotional eater, no. I'm not really a boredome eater either.

[onawhim]

I am an everything eater 

[Magic Microbe]

That's not emotional eating.

Emotional eating is getting into a huge argument with your husband and then afterwards deciding that dozen yogurt will make you both feel better.

[merigayle]

Not much of an emotional eater perse. More of a boredom eater.

[rocketgirl]

I agree with everything RA said.

I don't know how you eat salad for breakfast.  I did for a bit in high school because I had play practice and missed dinner every night (ate a sandwich before I went).  So I ate dinner for breakfast in the morning.  I started eating my salad at bedtime because I just couldn't eat it for breakfast.

I would love to have a big meal for breakfast every day.  But not enough to get up early and prepare such a thing.  So yogurt at my desk it is.

I am not really an emotional eater.  Occasionally I want to eat when I am bored.  Or when something I happen to like just happens to be available.

[Run Amok]

After thinking about this more... I am a craving eater. When something sounds good, and I am even slightly hungry, I find it nearly impossible to make a good choice. This is true in other areas of my life as well (hence, master procrastinator!). When I decide to lose weight, finding a diet that specifically adressed cravings made it possible for me to stick with it long term (almost a year now).

[crazypants]

Not much of an emotional eater perse. More of a boredom eater.

Boredom is an emotion!

 

Emotional eating is getting into a huge argument with your husband and then afterwards deciding that dozen yogurt will make you both feel better.

If we were married, we'd never fight. I would however still insist you eat frozen yogurt.

[crazypants]

After thinking about this more... I am a craving eater. When something sounds good, and I am even slightly hungry, I find it nearly impossible to make a good choice.

So it would evil of me to implant a food in your mind, right?

OK- I will do my best to not talk about pizza. Not even pizza with a fluffy thick crust's still a little chewy, but not hard, with tangy tomato sauce, goey hot cheese and of course- I won't talk about the delicious toppings. No that would cruel, so I'll leave out peperoni, bacon, green pepper, onion, tomato and mushrooms.

And I certainly wouldn't mention that I'm having that for dinner tonight and making it at home so it's not going to be greasy, and using turkey peperoni and turkey bacon so it's actually low fat and low sodium.

And I won't mention that it's going to be paired with Carlsburg.
Or that I've got a second pizza crust with your name on it if you want to come over at 7.

[Courtney]

I am an everything eater 

yup.

[debbatx]

I am an everything eater 

Indeed.

[makeda]

God, yes. 

Example: Fresh out of college, I had a stressful job.  My colleagues noticed how I was always saying "I'm hungry!"  I was actually trying to treat anxiety with vending machine snacks.

[monster2]

God, yes. 

Example: Fresh out of college, I had a stressful job.  My colleagues noticed how I was always saying "I'm hungry!"  I was actually trying to treat anxiety with vending machine snacks.

This, I start eating when I am stressing... I can inhale a whole can of pringles in less than an hour no problemo...and I crave eat, and once I start I can't usually stop...

[merigayle]

I'm a compulsive overeater, especially under stress.

Was eating well the past couple of months, lost about 15 pounds. Last week I had a couple of really bad days, and it's been pizza and ice cream ever since. Can't seem to break the pattern.

Shit.

[crazypants]

Since I stopped snacking and cut down on my intake- I feel great!!!
 

[GreenMan]

 

[debbatx]

This, I start eating when I am stressing... I can inhale a whole can of pringles in less than an hour no problemo...and I crave eat, and once I start I can't usually stop...

Yep. If I start, I have to stop within an hour, or I'm screwed and will go through withdrawal for at least 3 days after a binge ends.

[BonitaApplebum]

I am most certainly an emotional eater. It's not good at all.

[MiniDriver]

I'm an opportunistic eater.  If it's there, I eat it.   If I only have healthy/clean foods around that's what I eat.  If there's a plate of biscuits and gravy sitting in front of me there's no way I'm not digging in.

[Run Amok]

.

[crazypants]

RA- I removed the message.

[Run Amok]

But still... that is what I would do if I were you.

[crazypants]

But still... that is what I would do if I were you.

Yah- I think I will.
Besides- SB owes me.

[crazypants]

Last night after work I went for my usual climbing session- but went longer than usual. I even had a chicken greek salad waiting for me for dinner, but when I got home, I just wasn't hungry- so I just had a glass of milk while watching football.

  Is something wrong with me? I'm usually starving after rock climbing- especially given that I went hard last night.

[Yogi]

Last night after work I went for my usual climbing session- but went longer than usual. I even had a chicken greek salad waiting for me for dinner, but when I got home, I just wasn't hungry- so I just had a glass of milk while watching football.

  Is something wrong with me? I'm usually starving after rock climbing- especially given that I went hard last night.

Nothing is wrong with you.

I can relate to the snacking out of boredom that you described in the OP. I will sometimes be hungry for dinner around 5pm just because of my early schedule and I've started just giving in and making dinner early instead of snacking until I feel it's the "right" time for dinner (i.e. 7pm or something).

I also sometimes force myself to eat things I don't want to eat because it's what a runner 'should' eat. But sometimes I just want cereal or a grilled cheese for dinner even on running days. There's nothing wrong with having a light eating day especially if your body is just wanting a light eating day.

[Run Amok]

I do the same thing yogi. Im starving by 5pm, and really, that is when I need to eat dinner. Otherwise I snack till I'm full.

[Schrödinger’s Bat]

Yah- I think I will.
Besides- SB owes me.

Hey! I had to touch your unmentionables! 

[Schrödinger’s Bat]

I do the same thing yogi. Im starving by 5pm, and really, that is when I need to eat dinner. Otherwise I snack till I'm full.

I am an early eater too. My DH often doesn't eat until 9pm or later!! I really have two dinners. I have a 2nd dinner around 7:30. Basically I eat something right after I get home around 5:45-6pm (often a sandwich/wrap and some pretzels) and then have another meal around 1.5-2 hours later (often a bowl of cereal or yogurt and a cookie...or two.) I am a night time eater. During my ED, I used to often skip both breakfast and lunch, but never could go without eating something in the evening.

I'm the reverse of those people that say you shouldn't eat before bed. If I don't eat something around 7:30-8pm, I don't sleep well.  When I was a kid I was the same way. Always a bowl of cereal before bed.

When bored, I could snack from 4pm until I go to bed. Which is why I try to stick to an eating schedule. And sometimes, when I feel sad/lonely I'll indulge in very poor food (ie: ice cream for dinner). But that doesn't happen too often any more, and when it does I try to be forgiving of myself and don't beat myself up. We all need an ice cream for dinner day once in awhile.

[diablita]

We all need an ice cream for dinner day once in awhile.

hells to the yes!   though I seem to gain weight disproportionally quickly when I eat ice cream so I don't do it much.

[crazypants]

Hey! I had to touch your unmentionables! 

My dong is not an unmentionable.

Oh wait- you meant underwear.

Come to think of it- you never touched my dong.

Nevermind.

[Schrödinger’s Bat]

My dong is not an unmentionable.

Oh wait- you meant underwear.

Come to think of it- you never touched my dong.

Nevermind.