Re: Food thoughts

[Guest guest]

Eldred -  this is what you were talking about a week or so ago, right?

wow ... I need to think about it as I can recognize a few things (see myself in

your habits).

I've got a couple of ideas I need to incubate so I can put them into words.

thanks for sharing this as I'm sure a number of us can see some of ourselves in

this!

Colleen

________________________________

To: insideoutweightloss

Sent: Thursday, July 7, 2011 3:43 AM

Subject: Food thoughts

 

This is what I typed up a couple of weeks ago:

>>>>>

I eat more(and faster) at home alone than I do at a restaurant. When

out eating, I usually eat slower than everyone else at the table, and

I'm quite often the last to finish. At home, I shovel the food down

like there's no tomorrow. I don't know why - I've *never* been in a

situation where there wasn't enough food. And it seems that if I'm

worried about getting enough, I would especially do it when eating

with others, to keep THEM from getting any.

When I'm at home, I usually eat twice. Meaning, I get a serving,

finish it, then go back for seconds. It doesn't matter what size the

original serving is, I've noticed. I do the same thing if I'm eating

a fixed serving size, like a TV dinner. I'll eat one, then a large

percentage of the time get another. I used to do the same thing when

eating cereal - two bowls. Again, I've never been starving to worry

about getting enough.

I tend to try to get every little morsel off the plate. This happens

all the time at home, but not so much dining out. This was the

realization that made me think about the fact that I've never gone

hungry.

I don't dine out by myself very often. The only time I go to

restaurants is with others. I can't remember the last time I went to

a restaurant(fast food doesn't count) by myself.

I like sweets! But I'll get hooked on a certain sweet treat, and get

it everyday. In the past it has been Snickers, Kit Kat, Heath bars,

Butterfinger, Spree, Smarties, and a few more. The only way I keep

from doing it is to leave the house with no money. My current

addiction is Pop-Tarts. I'll get two packages in the morning on my

way to work, and eat them very soon after I get to my desk. Tuesday I

started thinking about how fast I usually eat them - they're gone

before I realize it. Like less than ten minutes, and most times less

than FIVE. So if it's to distract me from work, it certainly doesn't

last long. I figured that might remove some of the desire to get

them. Nope - got them Wednesday as well.

If I see a fast food place, I want some. Doesn't matter if I already

have food at home, like tonight. I made spaghetti last night, and

still have leftovers. On the way home I thought about the Chinese

restaurant I go past, as well as Little Caesars and Hungry Howie's

pizza. Heck, I've even thought about stopping at a fast food place on

the way home from the grocery store!

The corollary to this is that if I grab something to eat on the way

home from work, I'm still liable to fix something at home. I've had

times where I'm nuking a TV dinner at 7pm, then realize, " You just had

a Big Mac meal an HOUR ago...! "

I eat almost all of my meals while doing other things. Working on the

computer at home, watching TV, commuting, at my desk at work while on

the computer. I think eating while commuting is more of a time-saving

activity, though. I get bored when JUST eating, which is why I always

have to be doing something else. I like food, but I don't *enjoy* it.

I don't know how to explain this one. There's no more 'enjoyment' if

I eat when I'm hungry than there is if I eat 'just because'. I don't

eat stuff I don't like, so it's not like I'm consuming just for

sustenance without regard for taste. But I seldom have reactions like

in the commercials where someone tastes something, and goes,

" Mmmmmmm! " So that begs the question: If it was such a 'hassle' to

eat, then why would I do it so darn much?

If you're still reading<g>, I still don't understand what all this

means. Some of these thoughts I've had for a while, others only since

IOWL. But knowing this still doesn't help me understand why I

overeat, or what the positive intent is...

>>>>>

Eldred

--

" Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch.

Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote. "

[Guest guest]

>

> Eldred -  this is what you were talking about a week or so ago, right?

>

Yep! I finally got brave enough to post it...

> wow ... I need to think about it as I can recognize a few things (see myself

in your habits).

>

>

> I've got a couple of ideas I need to incubate so I can put them into words.

>

> thanks for sharing this as I'm sure a number of us can see some of ourselves

in this!

>

Oh, I thought I was just weird...<g>

Eldred

[Guest guest]

>

> I eat more(and faster) at home alone than I do at a restaurant.

when you're alone, no one can see you - so it's like a blend of " it doesn't

really count " and that there's no embarrassment or judgement if no one sees.

I've eaten entire packages of things at home, something I'd never do at work or

around friends who could see this behavior (I'd be embarrassed or afraid that

they would judge me).

I haven't had any of those 'episodes' in quite a while, but I've done more than

my fair share of junk food that way -- it's one of the reasons that I don't keep

the stuff in the house and have a laundry list of alternative things written

down to do instead. I think that this is emotional eating, when I look at this

quiz.

Are You Eating Your Way Out of Emotions?

Any " yes " response to the questions below is a clue that you eat to deal with

problematic emotions—at least sometimes.

Have I ever found myself looking for something to eat within an hour or two of

eating?

Do I sometimes overeat?

Do I feel guilty or have thoughts of self-recrimination after eating?

Do I overeat to " treat " myself after a long, hard day?

Do I feel less anxious after eating?

Do I rush through meals, not even tasting the food?

Do I need to have large helpings of food to feel full?

When I dine with loved ones, am I more concerned about the food than the company

and surroundings?

Is food replacing something that's missing in my life?

Do I make excuses for being overweight?

Do I know that I'll feel better (calmer, more relaxed, more energetic) after I

eat?

> At home, I shovel the food down

> like there's no tomorrow. I don't know why - I've *never* been in a

> situation where there wasn't enough food. And it seems that if I'm

> worried about getting enough, I would especially do it when eating

> with others, to keep THEM from getting any.

I don't think you're worried about getting enough (after all, it's your house,

you bought the food, put it away / and fixed it - and if you don't have a room

mate, it isn't like anyone else is going to get it before you do)

I know there is the difference between " stomach hunger " (when you eat to fill

your body because your stomach is empty) and " mouth hunger " (when you're

reaching for something to put in your mouth because you're experiencing a

difficult emotion) - it reminded me of 's " party in the mouth " more than

anything else.

Shrink Yourself (book by Dr. Gould) which someone recommended on this list a

while ago changed a lot of how I thought about emotional eating (what it was,

how it works) - it comes down to you're not eating for taste, nutrition or

celebration but you're eating to make yourself feel better and when I read how

you describe food's role in your life, it's not for those three reasons (taste,

nutrition or celebration) ... does that ring any bells for you?

and again, I can be totally wrong or maybe this doesn't fit you at all - this is

why that book was so interesting to me as I never thought of myself as an

emotional eater and much of 's program is built around changing the

emotions (how you view your self, your environment or just being more aware) ..

I do think of myself that way now and as such am much more attune to catching

myself in those situations ... definitely not perfect or even really good at it,

but being aware and catching the patters (as you already noted in your post -

you are seeing all kinds of patterns in your life around food!)

[Guest guest]

I didn't think I was an emotional eater until I looked at that quiz and realized

I was answering " yes " to a lot of the questions. I guess the first step is to

be more aware of my eating and why I'm eating. But where do I go from here?

[Guest guest]

for me, it was listening to 's podcasts and doing the homework that really

made me aware of my eating patterns - the exercises (such as the Walt Disney

dreamer for example) are what get you to think about your own self talk and get

more of a handle on it by being aware of it (I didn't even realize how much of

the negativity was going on 'under' the surface ... that's the hard part for me

and what I continue to work on).  I think that a lot of us 'eat our emotions'

... you could also check out the shrink yourself book from the library and see if

that has the same kind of impact on you that it did on me.  I'm always looking

for things that add to my understanding of the why's & how's ...  the podcasts

are one of those learning tools for me.

 

________________________________

To: insideoutweightloss

Sent: Tuesday, July 12, 2011 5:57 AM

Subject: Re: Food thoughts

 

I didn't think I was an emotional eater until I looked at that quiz and realized

I was answering " yes " to a lot of the questions. I guess the first step is to

be more aware of my eating and why I'm eating. But where do I go from here?

[Guest guest]

here are some links to web searches:

http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/emotional-eating-feeding-your-feelings

I liked the ways to recognize it in this article:

1. Emotional hunger comes on suddenly; physical hunger occurs gradually.

2. When you are eating to fill a void that isn't related to an empty stomach,

you crave a specific food, such as pizza or ice cream, and only that food will

meet your need. When you eat because you are actually hungry, you're open to

options.

3. Emotional hunger feels like it needs to be satisfied instantly with the food

you crave; physical hunger can wait.

4. Even when you are full, if you're eating to satisfy an emotional need, you're

more likely to keep eating. When you're eating because you're hungry, you're

more likely to stop when you're full.

5. Emotional eating can leave behind feelings of guilt; eating when you are

physically hungry does not.

http://www.medicinenet.com/emotional_eating/article.htm

this one talks about recognizing your triggers

and this one is a link filled with other links

http://weightloss.about.com/od/emotionaleatin1/Emotional_Eating.htm

[Guest guest]

>

>

>

>>

>> I eat more(and faster) at home alone than I do at a restaurant.

>

> when you're alone, no one can see you - so it's like a blend of " it doesn't

really count " and that there's no embarrassment or judgement if no one sees.

 I've eaten entire packages of things at home, something I'd never do at work or

around friends who could see this behavior (I'd be embarrassed or afraid that

they would judge me).

>

> I haven't had any of those 'episodes' in quite a while, but I've done more

than my fair share of junk food that way -- it's one of the reasons that I don't

keep the stuff in the house and have a laundry list of alternative things

written down to do instead.  I think that this is emotional eating, when I look

at this quiz.

>

> Are You Eating Your Way Out of Emotions?

>

> Any " yes " response to the questions below is a clue that you eat to deal with

problematic emotions—at least sometimes.

>

> Have I ever found myself looking for something to eat within an hour or two of

eating?

> Do I sometimes overeat?

> Do I feel guilty or have thoughts of self-recrimination after eating?

> Do I overeat to " treat " myself after a long, hard day?

> Do I feel less anxious after eating?

> Do I rush through meals, not even tasting the food?

> Do I need to have large helpings of food to feel full?

> When I dine with loved ones, am I more concerned about the food than the

company and surroundings?

> Is food replacing something that's missing in my life?

> Do I make excuses for being overweight?

> Do I know that I'll feel better (calmer, more relaxed, more energetic) after I

eat?

>

>

I count 4.5 'yes' answers there. Ugh.

>

> I know there is the difference between " stomach hunger " (when you eat to fill

your body because your stomach is empty) and " mouth hunger " (when you're

reaching for something to put in your mouth because you're experiencing a

difficult emotion) - it reminded me of 's " party in the mouth " more than

anything else.

>

> Shrink Yourself (book by Dr. Gould) which someone recommended on this list a

while ago changed a lot of how I thought about emotional eating (what it was,

how it works) - it comes down to you're not eating for taste, nutrition or

celebration but you're eating to make yourself feel better and when I read how

you describe food's role in your life, it's not for those three reasons (taste,

nutrition or celebration) ... does that ring any bells for you?

>

If I eat to make myself feel better, it's not a conscious effort.

And, I wouldn't know what causes it.

I'll look for the book.

> and again, I can be totally wrong or maybe this doesn't fit you at all - this

is why that book was so interesting to me as I never thought of myself as an

emotional eater and much of 's program is built around changing the

emotions (how you view your self, your environment or just being more aware) ..

I do think of myself that way now and as such am much more attune to catching

myself in those situations ... definitely not perfect or even really good at it,

but being aware and catching the patters (as you already noted in your post -

you are seeing all kinds of patterns in your life around food!)

>

>

I used to have the (admittedly sexist) attitude that men couldn't be

emotional eaters. In recent years I've realized that BOREDOM is an

emotion as well, so it's possible that I *am* an emotional eater.

Today I also realized that I tend to look for sweet stuff in the

morning, and salty stuff in the afternoon. I'm not sure what THAT

means, either.

Eldred

--

Why is it that you need a special license to handle a 500lb

motorcycle, but you DON'T need anything special to drive a 13 ton

RV???

[Guest guest]

Wow... I got 9 out of 10 yesses... yikes...

> >

> > I eat more(and faster) at home alone than I do at a restaurant.

>

> when you're alone, no one can see you - so it's like a blend of " it doesn't

really count " and that there's no embarrassment or judgement if no one sees.

I've eaten entire packages of things at home, something I'd never do at work or

around friends who could see this behavior (I'd be embarrassed or afraid that

they would judge me).

>

> I haven't had any of those 'episodes' in quite a while, but I've done more

than my fair share of junk food that way -- it's one of the reasons that I don't

keep the stuff in the house and have a laundry list of alternative things

written down to do instead. I think that this is emotional eating, when I look

at this quiz.

>

> Are You Eating Your Way Out of Emotions?

>

> Any " yes " response to the questions below is a clue that you eat to deal with

problematic emotions—at least sometimes.

>

> Have I ever found myself looking for something to eat within an hour or two of

eating?

> Do I sometimes overeat?

> Do I feel guilty or have thoughts of self-recrimination after eating?

> Do I overeat to " treat " myself after a long, hard day?

> Do I feel less anxious after eating?

> Do I rush through meals, not even tasting the food?

> Do I need to have large helpings of food to feel full?

> When I dine with loved ones, am I more concerned about the food than the

company and surroundings?

> Is food replacing something that's missing in my life?

> Do I make excuses for being overweight?

> Do I know that I'll feel better (calmer, more relaxed, more energetic) after I

eat?

>

>

>

> > At home, I shovel the food down

> > like there's no tomorrow. I don't know why - I've *never* been in a

> > situation where there wasn't enough food. And it seems that if I'm

> > worried about getting enough, I would especially do it when eating

> > with others, to keep THEM from getting any.

>

> I don't think you're worried about getting enough (after all, it's your house,

you bought the food, put it away / and fixed it - and if you don't have a room

mate, it isn't like anyone else is going to get it before you do)

>

> I know there is the difference between " stomach hunger " (when you eat to fill

your body because your stomach is empty) and " mouth hunger " (when you're

reaching for something to put in your mouth because you're experiencing a

difficult emotion) - it reminded me of 's " party in the mouth " more than

anything else.

>

> Shrink Yourself (book by Dr. Gould) which someone recommended on this list a

while ago changed a lot of how I thought about emotional eating (what it was,

how it works) - it comes down to you're not eating for taste, nutrition or

celebration but you're eating to make yourself feel better and when I read how

you describe food's role in your life, it's not for those three reasons (taste,

nutrition or celebration) ... does that ring any bells for you?

>

> and again, I can be totally wrong or maybe this doesn't fit you at all - this

is why that book was so interesting to me as I never thought of myself as an

emotional eater and much of 's program is built around changing the

emotions (how you view your self, your environment or just being more aware) ..

I do think of myself that way now and as such am much more attune to catching

myself in those situations ... definitely not perfect or even really good at it,

but being aware and catching the patters (as you already noted in your post -

you are seeing all kinds of patterns in your life around food!)

>

[Guest guest]

hi ALL! still around. still thinking of you! not too active with IOWL, but I

am grateful for it and for the process.

with love,

Avie

> **

>

>

>

> Wow... I got 9 out of 10 yesses... yikes...

>

>

> > >

> > > I eat more(and faster) at home alone than I do at a restaurant.

> >

> > when you're alone, no one can see you - so it's like a blend of " it

> doesn't really count " and that there's no embarrassment or judgement if no

> one sees. I've eaten entire packages of things at home, something I'd never

> do at work or around friends who could see this behavior (I'd be embarrassed

> or afraid that they would judge me).

> >

> > I haven't had any of those 'episodes' in quite a while, but I've done

> more than my fair share of junk food that way -- it's one of the reasons

> that I don't keep the stuff in the house and have a laundry list of

> alternative things written down to do instead. I think that this is

> emotional eating, when I look at this quiz.

> >

> > Are You Eating Your Way Out of Emotions?

> >

> > Any " yes " response to the questions below is a clue that you eat to deal

> with problematic emotions—at least sometimes.

> >

> > Have I ever found myself looking for something to eat within an hour or

> two of eating?

> > Do I sometimes overeat?

> > Do I feel guilty or have thoughts of self-recrimination after eating?

> > Do I overeat to " treat " myself after a long, hard day?

> > Do I feel less anxious after eating?

> > Do I rush through meals, not even tasting the food?

> > Do I need to have large helpings of food to feel full?

> > When I dine with loved ones, am I more concerned about the food than the

> company and surroundings?

> > Is food replacing something that's missing in my life?

> > Do I make excuses for being overweight?

> > Do I know that I'll feel better (calmer, more relaxed, more energetic)

> after I eat?

> >

> >

> >

> > > At home, I shovel the food down

> > > like there's no tomorrow. I don't know why - I've *never* been in a

> > > situation where there wasn't enough food. And it seems that if I'm

> > > worried about getting enough, I would especially do it when eating

> > > with others, to keep THEM from getting any.

> >

> > I don't think you're worried about getting enough (after all, it's your

> house, you bought the food, put it away / and fixed it - and if you don't

> have a room mate, it isn't like anyone else is going to get it before you

> do)

> >

> > I know there is the difference between " stomach hunger " (when you eat to

> fill your body because your stomach is empty) and " mouth hunger " (when

> you're reaching for something to put in your mouth because you're

> experiencing a difficult emotion) - it reminded me of 's " party in the

> mouth " more than anything else.

> >

> > Shrink Yourself (book by Dr. Gould) which someone recommended on this

> list a while ago changed a lot of how I thought about emotional eating (what

> it was, how it works) - it comes down to you're not eating for taste,

> nutrition or celebration but you're eating to make yourself feel better and

> when I read how you describe food's role in your life, it's not for those

> three reasons (taste, nutrition or celebration) ... does that ring any bells

> for you?

> >

> > and again, I can be totally wrong or maybe this doesn't fit you at all -

> this is why that book was so interesting to me as I never thought of myself

> as an emotional eater and much of 's program is built around changing

> the emotions (how you view your self, your environment or just being more

> aware) .. I do think of myself that way now and as such am much more attune

> to catching myself in those situations ... definitely not perfect or even

> really good at it, but being aware and catching the patters (as you already

> noted in your post - you are seeing all kinds of patterns in your life

> around food!)

> >

>

>

>

--

Avie Linden

University of Michigan - Anthropology

Program in the Environment, History of Art