Help! I can't stop eating garbage!!!

[sweetchix]

All the stress I've been under is causing me to turn to food. I can't stop eating junk food. For lunch, it's fast food, ie whopper, fries, chicken nuggets. I've gotten an ice cream from the vending machine every day this week. All I want to is to just eat, and eat, and eat!!! By the time this divorce is finalized I am going to be as big as a blimp!

I never rejoined the gym, like you all had suggested I do. In my household it would NOT be a joint expense, STBX would say I need to pay with my own personal money because it is something for me. I don't have the money. All my extra money right now is going towards paying my dad back for loaning the money for the retainer fee. I could take it out of our joint account, but then STBX would have a fit and tell me I have to put it back in there.

Running season is coming to an end. For me anyway. I've never run in the colder weather. Besides, with everything going on I am lucky if I get out to run once in two weeks!

I know it's all in my mind but I just can't turn the switch!!! Ugh!!!

ETA for spelling (fat, fast thumbs).

[blackkitty]

Food is not the answer.
Put down the french fries

[kc18]

Best motivation - look at a Victoria's Secret catalog.

Just kidding.

But seriously - junk food never helped anyone. You should try healthy outlets like yoga, pilates, reading, meditating, crafts, journaling, whatever else you LIKE to do. Honestly, hot yoga was the best thing for me while I was going through all the crap with my ex and the lawyers. It really helped me focus and rein in any bad habits I could have picked up during the process.

[Deleted]

I start by identifying something healthy the I really like and crave (even if it might be more expensive) and allow myself to "indulge" in that. For me it's items like crab, shrimp, pineapple, avocados. It still feels like a treat but is healthy. Usually after a few days of this I can get back on track with more cost effective and maintainable healthy eating.

[Deleted]

Can you work on your stress in other ways? Stress is hard because it creates extra cortisol, which makes you crave fatty, sugary foods. What about some meditation or yoga? Breathing exercises? Writing in a journal? Exercise is a great stress relief for me too. Tracking your calories on a website like lifestrong, myfitnesspal or the like also holds you accountable to write down everything you eat every day. Start with a small change/goal each day.

[achase123]

How about some tea or something that will curb your sweet tooth? I also like tart cherries and a piece of dark chocolate or almonds.

[usedtobebear]

Oct 4, 2012 14:27:02 GMT -5 @blackkitty said:

Food is not the answer.
Put down the french fries

Ha ha, this made me lol, very true indeed!

[sweetchix]

Oct 4, 2012 14:39:12 GMT -5 kc18 said:

Best motivation - look at a Victoria's Secret catalog.

I've actually done something like this before. There was an outfit in one catalog that I absolutely loved. I ripped the page out and hung it at my desk at work. But it was when I was really motivated, had my gym membership, and was running regularly (meaning: before papers were filed and everything went to shit). I never did buy it but it was helpful.

[kc18]

I'm not ashamed to admit I've cut out pictures too and hung them where I can see them every day as a reminder to NOT eat that bag of chips, or not order that brownie sundae.

There's a phrase they use at my gym... "Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels"

It always made me laugh because usually I DO feel better after I give myself a little bit of whatever it is I'm craving. As long as it's in moderation and I don't go overboard!

[sweetchix]

Oct 4, 2012 15:54:12 GMT -5 kc18 said:

It always made me laugh because usually I DO feel better after I give myself a little bit of whatever it is I'm craving. As long as it's in moderation and I don't go overboard!

I was so good at this earlier in the year (again before filing). I logged what I ate on a calorie counter Web site. If I wanted ice cream, I had ice cream. I just didn't have it every day like I am now. I brought nuts and granola bars in to work for snacking. I had oatmeal or a whole wheat bagel and banana for breakfast. I was going to the gym or running 3-4 times/week.

I just feel like I've fallen off the wagon and I can't get back on.

[emma245]

I am a total stress eater too so I feel your pain. I try to snack on semi healthy stuff and indulge in say a piece of dark chocolate like Achase suggested. I find its a slippery slope and as soon as I make an unhealthy decision, it keeps going and going. So I think of that before I go through the drive thru......I also take pilates that charges me if I miss so it FORCES me to go. Theres some app on the Iphone that does something similar but maybe give yourself an incentive to work out.

[Deleted]

I kind of wish I had that problem, to be honest. I can't eat when I get stressed, so I make myself sick a lot.

Back on topic:
Have you tried Fitocracy? It is a pretty cool website. It motivates me.
Also, look up "congealed fat" and "stable corn syrup" pictures. Every time you eat crap, imagine those pictures.

[blackkitty]

No joke you crave what you eat. Fast food especially has so much addictive crap in it (sugar, salt) that if you eat it you crave it. Have you ever watched Supersize me? If you have you should. Seriously no good comes out of fast food.

If you eat healthy foods you will feel better and you will start to crave healthy stuff. I can't even eat anything with sugar any more b/c it is too sweet for me. I actually crave stuff like strawberries and Dark Chocolate and believe it or not... salads!