The MakeMeThinner Support Forum

[star85]

Hey Gang!
I had written a message to Nancy on 1/11/03 asking her if she had any advice for dealing with turning to food for comfort ( for all of us many emotional eaters) during stressful times throughout the program. I figured since she has been on the program for so long she must have had some times where she had to deal with that type of thing. I did not receive a reply, so I would greatly appreciate any advice or tips on how any of you, that are also emotional eaters, avoid turning to food during trying times. Even if you haven't been on the program as long as Nancy, I would still at this point welcome any advice to help me stay on the plan. Thanks and good luck to everyone on the program.

Kelyn

[Unca_Tim]

Hi Kelyn,
I can't be much of a help with you on this one, but I know with addictions and emotional situations, one of the best things to do is get busy at "something". Take a walk, work at something, answer other's posts here, work at a hobby.....anything to keep you busy and take your mind off things. With most dependencies it only takes a few minutes to get through them and it gets easier each time you deal with it.

Sorry Nancy missed your post. I see she popped in today quickly, but yesterday she said she may have to be away for a few days. I'll bring this to her attention when i see her. If she misses it next time you see her here, remind her again.

Maybe some other members can help you out a bit on it too.

Keep us posted,
Unca

[Nancy]

Kelyn ~

Some alien life form must have intercepted your question about emo eating. Gulp! Perhaps I have cerebral vacuum...I don't recall reading it but then I am really on a tight schedule.

I mean tight.

So sorry if I overlooked your inquiry!

I am really juggling a lot of hats right now. I am a Mom, a daughter of puny parents, I work at a college, am a pastor’s wife, I am an Independent Mary Kay Beauty consultant, a Big Loser and a Health Advisor! Whew! :!:

Now, let me suggest a few books that deal with the issues of emotional eating,
A book that I HIGHLY recommend is Life Is Hard Food Is Easy by Linda Spangle (same great author of Success in a Shaker Jar.) Also Lifestyles The Medifast Program of Patient Support is extremely beneficial.

The latter has some charts and a diary to complete. One can begin to analyze their eating habits and eating/food triggers.

Before I go to bed each night I plan what I will eat and when I will eat it.

I take out the packets of Medifast and lay them on the counter. Prepare my veggies and bag them. I pack four bottles of water in my book bag, put a straw in there, too (for slurping out of the shake-to-go container) and then when the alarm goes off in the morning, I know what I am going to do for the day.

Then when those difficult times come in the course of a day, my food is all ready there – I don’t have to think about it, I just get fueled and am able to avoid the temptations.

If I were swimming in the ocean and went underwater to look at a pretty shell, my life would depend upon coming up for air every few minutes or I’d croak.

If I had an illness that required me to take a particular medication at regular intervals, then I would do everything in my power to take that medication on time.

When I began my journey to wellness and wholeness, I told myself that my life depended upon this; I treated my eating plan as if it were a life and death situation because to me, it was.

I had reached the point of total desperation. I had a big time case of self disgust. I felt like I had no place to turn. I had reached the darkest place ever (BTW, I don’t ever wanna go there again!).

I also write in a diary – it is a great stress reliever.

One of my mottos: When under stress, buy a dress! Hah!

Gotta bip now, Friend. Do a search thru the Forum for emotional eating – there are lots of excellent ideas from other great losers!

[star85]

Nancy and Tim,
Thanks for the good advice. I'll use it. Nancy it sounds like you really like to stay extra busy. Besides your regular job, health advisor and Mary Kay consultant too! Wow! You sure wear alot of different hats! I quess it's good to stay busy because it must help with not thinking about eating. I definitely know what you mean about juggling alot of hats right now (I'm a mom of 4 1/2 yr. old twin boys, cardiac surgical R.N., wife of a very BUSY business man who runs his own company, starting the building process of our new home, and playing chauffer to the kids to school, play dates, sport practices, etc. ) You would think I wouldn't have time to eat to get as heavy as I have become (Hee,Hee). And last year I took care of my ill father up until the day he died in October ( Just turned 67yrs. old 2 weeks before he died). I guess everyone is always going to have stressors, we just have to learn to deal with them in a different manner besides food. Thanks again for the advice.

[Nancy]

You are exactly right!

Stressors are a natural part of life and we must learn how to deal with them when they come along in healthy ways or they get the best of us, they win and we become out of control.

There are countless treatment centers these days to help people that have turned to unhealthy alternatives for stress control. There’s Gamblers Anonymous, AA, etc. As we all know, some folks do drugs, some shop ‘til they drop, and others stuff until they pop!

When I feel like I am under extra pressure, I begin to want to vacuum, dust, mow the lawn, etc. I NEED to DO something and in the past, I ATE stuff. Stuff I didn’t even particularly like but I am NOT going to do that anymore.

If we do not get a handle on HOW we deal with the stressors, then we will zoink right back up to the weight we were before PLUS a whole lot more.

As Linda Spangle says, “Food is not my friend.”

Therefore, we need to find healthy outlets for anxiety and discover the people who really are our friends..

Some people do well by serving others. Some prefer to be served. Then there are those who prefer to serve themselves! I’m not gonna do THAT any more because it was calorically costly! Hah!

Have a successful week, everybody!

[sher]

Hi Kelyn,
I think thats why I am here too.....when I feel a certain way, and then I say OH WELL>>>>who cares, or what the heck, or it won't hurt THAT much to finish off the ice cream...that just hurt ME...and does NOT solve ANY problem to eat....THIN FEELS BETTER THAN FOOD TASTES.....ITHINK THAT IS TOTALLY CORRECT......
by the way, how come I cannot make this color.... but with this group, we will succeed...my shipment WILL be here today...now...some hints please on how to make the food taste the BEST what was that about adding the shake to coffee??? will really miss my Lattes'....I will go back and add that post, the question about Faygo too, and how to make the shakes extra good...I am starting tomorow, the next day is a going away party for a friends son that is being deployed to Baghdad...was not going to go because of this, but really must...THIS will be tough I thought I would slip a bar in my purse, drink a shake ON THE WAY THERE.... and take a mug, a coffee looking mug with a lid on it, keep it in the car nice and cold so that I can drink it when we LEAVE...SOUND GOOD
THIS SHOULD get me through...but NO miller lites... but thats ok, so I will be the DD for the evening, hubby and everyone will like that, I am just going to tell them I am not feeling well, there is a LOT of pressure owning a bar, and GOOD GRIEF, YOU ARE NOT DRINKING??? ARE YOU OK??? that's what they will ask... I am NOT telling them I am on a diet, you see, these are the friends, well, lets just say the other wives look terriffic, and drink and eat ALL THAT THEY WANT...I don't think they WANT me to look good, but they are in for a BIG surprise...I am going to go and BUY that outfit, and hang it in my kitchen...WHITE SHORTS, AND A LITTLE WHITE SLEEVELESS TANK TOP...HAVE NEVER WORN AN OUTFIT LIKE THIS....BUT..... I am this summer dang it...sick to death of wearing black t shirts and long knit pants on the golf course....too hot, and who needs THAT

[Guest]

SHER,

You have hit the nail on the head for a lot of us. We all have friends that look good and enjoy going out with us because we make them look better. I too, am sure with a lot of others and are not telling a sole that I am beginning a diet and have asked my husband and daughter to say only that I am changing my eating habits for now if anyone should notice. As a person that has dieted all my life with 1 big success (I lost 100lbs back in my 20's on low fat, but when I got tired of FAT FREE (rice & beans) all the time - gained it back) and everyone said they did not like the person I had become, that my personality had changed. Well, I have gained it back with a vengence over the past 5 years and they could'nt be happier.

I think if they don't like the new me this time, I'll find new friends that did not know I had been overweight in the first place.

But, when I come along a friend that wants the same success I hope to have I will tell that friend my new found secret.

'everybody loves to have a friend that is fatter than them'

As far as food for comfort, that is why I am on this forum. Before my first order I had to have a long talk with my husband, our favorite date is going to a nice resturant, I had to make sure he understood I would need support. Date night will have to be something besides food.

It isn't just us FAT people who turn to food for entertainment and comfort, we just keep what we eat.