Guest guest Posted September 2, 2011 Report Share Posted September 2, 2011 Last night I had a small second helping at dinner, and felt overfull. About an hour later I started munching and snacking for the rest of the evening. I just observed, no guilt. As I was drifting off to sleep I had a mental picture of a certain person being beheaded! I'm sure this came partly from some fiction I'm currently reading, plus some unresolved anger at the person. This is a first for me. First, Stepping back and just allowing the eating resulted in eating less than I would have otherwise; and then it allowed the anger to surface enough to become recognizable. I don't have to do anything about the anger (I don't even own a sword!) but it's also a win that I recognized the anger, and the source, and then just moved on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 2, 2011 Report Share Posted September 2, 2011 JudyT, Good for you!!!! I also over ate last night at a pot luck supper with no quilt, but did feel uncomfortably full. Just observed and I don't like feeling that way. Later that evening I ate some prunes and a peach that was rotting. Both of those take care of a digestive problem I had been having for about a week. So then I really felt FULL. Sandy Last night I had a small second helping at dinner, and felt overfull. About an hour later I started munching and snacking for the rest of the evening. I just observed, no guilt. As I was drifting off to sleep I had a mental picture of a certain person being beheaded! I'm sure this came partly from some fiction I'm currently reading, plus some unresolved anger at the person. This is a first for me. First, Stepping back and just allowing the eating resulted in eating less than I would have otherwise; and then it allowed the anger to surface enough to become recognizable. I don't have to do anything about the anger (I don't even own a sword!) but it's also a win that I recognized the anger, and the source, and then just moved on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 2, 2011 Report Share Posted September 2, 2011 JudyT, Good for you!!!! I also over ate last night at a pot luck supper with no quilt, but did feel uncomfortably full. Just observed and I don't like feeling that way. Later that evening I ate some prunes and a peach that was rotting. Both of those take care of a digestive problem I had been having for about a week. So then I really felt FULL. Sandy Last night I had a small second helping at dinner, and felt overfull. About an hour later I started munching and snacking for the rest of the evening. I just observed, no guilt. As I was drifting off to sleep I had a mental picture of a certain person being beheaded! I'm sure this came partly from some fiction I'm currently reading, plus some unresolved anger at the person. This is a first for me. First, Stepping back and just allowing the eating resulted in eating less than I would have otherwise; and then it allowed the anger to surface enough to become recognizable. I don't have to do anything about the anger (I don't even own a sword!) but it's also a win that I recognized the anger, and the source, and then just moved on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 20, 2011 Report Share Posted November 20, 2011 Ellie, Great observation and I would add to not judge, the " should " word. You know, stop " should-ing " all over yourself. You found one trigger at least.I would have been so stressed out and angry/frustrated about the whole situation and probably walked out with family in tow, or let Dad have them all. Sandy This afternoon we took 3 young granddaughters to a movie. The movie was beyond the two youngest (age 3.) One whined a lot. The other kept needing popcorn, a drink, etc. It was 3D and everyone kept dropping their glasses. Etc. etc. etc. (Hint: if you take young children to a 3D movie, take a flashlight, preferably a headlamp.) My husband took one of the 3-yo's to the bathroom yet again and I was alone w/ the other 3 and the 8-yo (who has cognitive delays) and that was when I started eating the popcorn by the handful. I was able to observe what was going on..... I was left alone to cope. At 60 I should be able to do that, having progressed all the way thru mom to grandmother status, but still.... observation was, when " abandoned " that's one occasion I start digging into the food. New at this. I'm working on the observation stage. What triggers eating? We had dinner w/ said granddaughters' parents afterwards and I was able to keep to one serving (pressure was off.)Ellie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 20, 2011 Report Share Posted November 20, 2011 Ellie, Great observation and I would add to not judge, the " should " word. You know, stop " should-ing " all over yourself. You found one trigger at least.I would have been so stressed out and angry/frustrated about the whole situation and probably walked out with family in tow, or let Dad have them all. Sandy This afternoon we took 3 young granddaughters to a movie. The movie was beyond the two youngest (age 3.) One whined a lot. The other kept needing popcorn, a drink, etc. It was 3D and everyone kept dropping their glasses. Etc. etc. etc. (Hint: if you take young children to a 3D movie, take a flashlight, preferably a headlamp.) My husband took one of the 3-yo's to the bathroom yet again and I was alone w/ the other 3 and the 8-yo (who has cognitive delays) and that was when I started eating the popcorn by the handful. I was able to observe what was going on..... I was left alone to cope. At 60 I should be able to do that, having progressed all the way thru mom to grandmother status, but still.... observation was, when " abandoned " that's one occasion I start digging into the food. New at this. I'm working on the observation stage. What triggers eating? We had dinner w/ said granddaughters' parents afterwards and I was able to keep to one serving (pressure was off.)Ellie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 20, 2011 Report Share Posted November 20, 2011 I'm a teacher too and have noticed that a very large proportion of them are overweight. I can imagine the stress of trying to eat when you're in charge of the kids. Heck, when I was home with just two of my own when they were little I ate way too much because it was almost impossible to take care of my own needs. High school teachers have it a little better in that' we don't have to eat with the kids, or walk them to the lunchroom, but 25 minutes isn't very much time for lunch, and we often have teaching related things to do during those minutes as well. I don't have an answer on your question, but it's a good one. Tilley > > > > This afternoon we took 3 young granddaughters to a movie. The movie was beyond the two youngest (age 3.) One whined a lot. The other kept needing popcorn, a drink, etc. It was 3D and everyone kept dropping their glasses. Etc. etc. etc. (Hint: if you take young children to a 3D movie, take a flashlight, preferably a headlamp.) My husband took one of the 3-yo's to the bathroom yet again and I was alone w/ the other 3 and the 8-yo (who has cognitive delays) and that was when I started eating the popcorn by the handful. I was able to observe what was going on..... I was left alone to cope. At 60 I should be able to do that, having progressed all the way thru mom to grandmother status, but still.... observation was, when " abandoned " that's one occasion I start digging into the food. > > > > New at this. I'm working on the observation stage. What triggers eating? We had dinner w/ said granddaughters' parents afterwards and I was able to keep to one serving (pressure was off.) > > > > Ellie > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 20, 2011 Report Share Posted November 20, 2011 I'm a teacher too and have noticed that a very large proportion of them are overweight. I can imagine the stress of trying to eat when you're in charge of the kids. Heck, when I was home with just two of my own when they were little I ate way too much because it was almost impossible to take care of my own needs. High school teachers have it a little better in that' we don't have to eat with the kids, or walk them to the lunchroom, but 25 minutes isn't very much time for lunch, and we often have teaching related things to do during those minutes as well. I don't have an answer on your question, but it's a good one. Tilley > > > > This afternoon we took 3 young granddaughters to a movie. The movie was beyond the two youngest (age 3.) One whined a lot. The other kept needing popcorn, a drink, etc. It was 3D and everyone kept dropping their glasses. Etc. etc. etc. (Hint: if you take young children to a 3D movie, take a flashlight, preferably a headlamp.) My husband took one of the 3-yo's to the bathroom yet again and I was alone w/ the other 3 and the 8-yo (who has cognitive delays) and that was when I started eating the popcorn by the handful. I was able to observe what was going on..... I was left alone to cope. At 60 I should be able to do that, having progressed all the way thru mom to grandmother status, but still.... observation was, when " abandoned " that's one occasion I start digging into the food. > > > > New at this. I'm working on the observation stage. What triggers eating? We had dinner w/ said granddaughters' parents afterwards and I was able to keep to one serving (pressure was off.) > > > > Ellie > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 21, 2011 Report Share Posted November 21, 2011 Sara -- I suspect it has something to do with the release of feel-good substances in the brain in response to eating. Probably dopamine (associated with pleasure) and serotonin (calming.) From infancy the brain has learned this response. As we mature we learn other sources of pleasure and soothing and other ways to produce them in ourselves but eating is such an easy way. And it tastes so good. Usually, anyway... in my own situation tasting good isn't a requirement for using the food to satisfy who-knows-what craving..... I'll eat stuff I don't even like just to be eating. Maybe I learned that from parents who insisted I eat whatever it was even if I didn't like it ("Eat it so you'll learn to like it!") That's a great way to create a compulsive overeater.Ellie To: IntuitiveEating_Support Sent: Sunday, November 20, 2011 9:46 PM Subject: Re: Emotional eating I can tell you that in my 30 year career as a first grade teacher (which has been my passion) there has been an amazing difference in my school year eating versus my summer eating. It is stress-eating, and taking care of multiple young children is tremendously stressful. It is next to impossible, sometimes impossible to take care of your own needs. When I didn't have the time to take a walk, veg out, or relax in some way, it was very easy to pop food into my mouth in an attempt to rid myself of the stress. I did OA for a while, and the number of teachers there was disproportionate. Why and how eating is the chosen method of rellieving stress, I'd love to know, but I don't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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