I have a question

I eat when I get depressed too!! It's a "response" to the depression so to speak. I've learned to
wait at least 15 minutes before I eat something and evaluate am I really hungry, thirsty, tired,
bored, depressed, etc... If after 15 minutes I still want the food and have eliminated all the other
possiblilities I eat whatever it is I wanted (in moderation). It's a hard thing to learn but once
you do it's a pretty cool thing!!!

--
Janice
263/252/150 (maybe 130)

"Erin Marsh" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Why is that whenever I get depressed over body image, all I want to do is eat? Why do I want to do
the very thing that got me depressed in the first place? It makes no sense whatsoever. So this is
my next and current challenge. Learn to resist the depression cravings.
--
Erin in NZ
125/90/75 kgs
275.3/198.2/165 lbs

RafL goal 180.6lbs (82 kilos)

"It is not the mountain we conquer, it is ourselves" Sir Edmund Hilary

We all have different situations that we tend to gravitate towards food. I have been lucky,
depression/anger is not one of mine. I clean when those things hit, can't eat because my stomach is
in a knot. But boredom ... watch out! Keep trying to fight those urges.

Joyce

Erin Marsh said:

Why is that whenever I get depressed over body image, all I want to do is eat? Why do I want to do
the very thing that got me depressed in the first place? It makes no sense whatsoever. So this is
my next and current challenge. Learn to resist the depression cravings.

I also eat when depressed. I've noticed it mostly since DH fell ill. Things were getting really
difficult with him sick and with work stuff, since he wasn't able to be there. I don't understand it
either Erin. Maybe it's one of those things we will figure out and overcome in 2004. Good luck with
it girl! I'll be doing the same.
--
Brenda
209/176/150 RafL goal 165

"Erin Marsh" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Why is that whenever I get depressed over body image, all I want to do is eat? Why do I want to do
the very thing that got me depressed in the first place? It makes no sense whatsoever. So this is
my next and current challenge. Learn to resist the depression cravings.
--
Erin in NZ
125/90/75 kgs
275.3/198.2/165 lbs

RafL goal 180.6lbs (82 kilos)

"It is not the mountain we conquer, it is ourselves" Sir Edmund Hilary

Quoted message said:

Why is that whenever I get depressed over body image, all I want to do is eat? Why do I want to do
the very thing that got me depressed in the first place? It makes no sense whatsoever. So this is
my next and current challenge. Learn to resist the depression cravings.

Easy to answer and hard to change: Eating represents comfort on a basic level. When you (we) are
depressed we eat to comfort ourselves. When you were little, did your mom try to please you with
sweet treats?

Changing this kind of long-term learned behavior is tough. I am learning to substitute
better/smaller treats, such as chocolate covered coffee beans. You can eat a few and it's very
little damage, compared to a big gooey slice of cake and frosting :-)

--
Hugs, Schmoopie

Hi Erin,

I think it is because it seems like such a long way to go until you get to the slim version of
yourself that you are chasing. (Sort of like "It's going to take forever, and I really want this
food now to make me feel better."😉 I used to do exactly the same thing. Now, I walk instead. I find
that it gets rid of the depression and helps my weight too.

Carol

--
............................................................
318/239.4/169
78.6 lost since December 2002
I am a slim person in process.
..............................................................
"Erin Marsh" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Why is that whenever I get depressed over body image, all I want to do
is eat? Why do I want to do the very thing that got me depressed in
the first place? It makes no sense whatsoever. So this is my next and
current challenge. Learn to resist the depression cravings.
--
Erin in NZ
125/90/75 kgs
275.3/198.2/165 lbs

RafL goal 180.6lbs (82 kilos)

"It is not the mountain we conquer, it is ourselves"
Sir Edmund Hilary

I think our bodies are just like that, you are depressed and you feel like
you are a "bad person" so you punish yourself by making your body look worse
because your mind knows that will definitely make you feel bad and I think
punished = bad, Lee, just an opinion
Erin Marsh <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Why is that whenever I get depressed over body image, all I want to do is eat? Why do I want to do
the very thing that got me depressed in the first place? It makes no sense whatsoever. So this is
my next and current challenge. Learn to resist the depression cravings.
--
Erin in NZ
125/90/75 kgs
275.3/198.2/165 lbs

RafL goal 180.6lbs (82 kilos)

"It is not the mountain we conquer, it is ourselves" Sir Edmund Hilary

I'm really sorry that you're going through this, Erin. Like others have mentioned, eating is
comforting and I definitely find comfort in certain foods. I tend to eat when my body image is bad
because part of my brain says "What's the point of all the hard work if the weight isn't coming off?
I might as well not bother." Changing how you eat is tough. Really tough. I found quitting smoking
easier because although I've had cravings, I haven't had a puff since I quit. I cannot say the same
about sticking to a healthy way of eating, unfortunately.

What's helped for me is finding non-food ways to cheer myself up. What else makes you happy and feel
good? When you're feeling low, does talking to someone help? Writing in a journal? Going out and
seeing friends? Distracting yourself with an activity? Pampering yourself?

You've done really well so far - 35 kilos is nothing to sneeze at! Best of luck with your
challenge. 🙂

Cheers, Petal

"Erin Marsh" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Why is that whenever I get depressed over body image, all I want to do is eat? Why do I want to do
the very thing that got me depressed in the first place? It makes no sense whatsoever. So this is
my next and current challenge. Learn to resist the depression cravings.
--
Erin in NZ
125/90/75 kgs
275.3/198.2/165 lbs

RafL goal 180.6lbs (82 kilos)

"It is not the mountain we conquer, it is ourselves" Sir Edmund Hilary

I find that at the moment of eating for just about any reason beyond hunger, I've disconnected the
relationship between food and weight. In that moment, food is my best friend. It makes no demands of
me; it fills the emptiness; it's available; it doesn't ask any questions; it warms me; it reminds me
of "mother" and "home" and, if I push that notion far enough, "womb." It's only later, when the food
has done the job and we're feeling better that we re-connect with the reality of food and then we
feel guilty. For me, resisting cravings (white-knuckling, as they say in Overeaters Anonymous) is
very hard. Some of the tools OA suggest are those that others here have already suggested: call a
friend, go for a walk, write in your journal and acknowledge your feelings.

Many of us have been (and continue to be) where you are. Hang in there. And when it happens, keep
coming back. No guilt and move on and all that stuff.

Prairie Roots

Erin Marsh said:

Why is that whenever I get depressed over body image, all I want to do is eat? Why do I want to do
the very thing that got me depressed in the first place? It makes no sense whatsoever. So this is
my next and current challenge. Learn to resist the depression cravings.

Janice Kennish said:

I eat when I get depressed too!! It's a "response" to the depression so to speak.

Comfort eating. I don't get why I find it comforting though, given that it's only going to add to
the reason I'm depressed in the first place.

Quoted message said:

I've learned to wait at least 15 minutes before I eat something and evaluate am I really hungry,
thirsty, tired, bored, depressed, etc... If after 15 minutes I still want the food and have
eliminated all the other possiblilities I eat whatever it is I wanted (in moderation). It's a hard
thing to learn but once you do it's a pretty cool thing!!!

I've tried that and it doesn't seem to work for me. I find using substitutes works, when I can move
past the desire to eat anything and everything.

--
Erin in NZ
125/90/75 kgs
125.90/1.1/165 lbs

RafL goal 180.6lbs (82 kilos)

"It is not the mountain we conquer, it is ourselves" Sir Edmund Hilary

It took me a LONG time to learn how to evaluate and to wait to eat but now that I'm doing better
with it it's great!! I tried substitutes but couldn't find anything that kept my hands busy
enough to keep from eating. I don't sew, knit or do crochet--I'm not artistic--I can eat while on
the computer (in fact I do it quite often) so the other way works better for me but it's hard to
learn to do!!!

--
Janice
263/252/150 (maybe 130)

"Erin Marsh" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Janice Kennish said:

I eat when I get depressed too!! It's a "response" to the depression so

to

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

speak.

Comfort eating. I don't get why I find it comforting though, given that it's only going to add to
the reason I'm depressed in the first place.

Quoted message said:

I've learned to wait at least 15 minutes before I eat something and evaluate am I really hungry,
thirsty, tired, bored, depressed, etc... If after 15 minutes I still want the food and have
eliminated all the other possiblilities I eat whatever it is I wanted (in moderation). It's a

hard

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

thing to learn but once you do it's a pretty cool thing!!!

I've tried that and it doesn't seem to work for me. I find using substitutes works, when I can
move past the desire to eat anything and everything.

--
Erin in NZ
125/90/75 kgs
275.3/198.2/165 lbs

RafL goal 180.6lbs (82 kilos)

"It is not the mountain we conquer, it is ourselves" Sir Edmund Hilary

Joyce said:

We all have different situations that we tend to gravitate towards food. I have been lucky,
depression/anger is not one of mine. I clean when those things hit, can't eat because my stomach is
in a knot. But boredom ... watch out!

I eat out of boredom as well. I'm getting that under control quite well. Thank g-d for Computers ;-)

Quoted message said:

Keep trying to fight those urges.

Thanks Joyce. My husband is working really hard on making me lose those body image issues and he's
doing a really good job. He even

working, I've stuck to points for 4 days in a row now and had a nice whoosh this morning to keep the
motivation flowing.

--
Erin in NZ
125/87.5/75 kgs
125.87/5.1/165 lbs

RafL goal 180.6lbs (82 kilos)

"It is not the mountain we conquer, it is ourselves" Sir Edmund Hilary

Brenda Hammond said:

I also eat when depressed. I've noticed it mostly since DH fell ill. Things were getting really
difficult with him sick and with work stuff, since he wasn't able to be there. I don't understand
it either Erin. Maybe it's one of those things we will figure out and overcome in 2004. Good luck
with it girl! I'll be doing the same.

Thanks Brenda. I hope we both have little depression to deal with this year and that we can deal
with the urge to eat when it does hit.
--
Erin in NZ
125/87.5/75 kgs
125.87/5.1/165 lbs

RafL goal 180.6lbs (82 kilos)

"It is not the mountain we conquer, it is ourselves" Sir Edmund Hilary

On Mon, 05 Jan 2004 19:37:34 GMT, Schmoopie <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Why is that whenever I get depressed over body image, all I want to do is eat? Why do I want to
do the very thing that got me depressed in the first place? It makes no sense whatsoever. So this
is my next and current challenge. Learn to resist the depression cravings.

Easy to answer and hard to change: Eating represents comfort on a basic level. When you (we) are
depressed we eat to comfort ourselves. When you were little, did your mom try to please you with
sweet treats?

Probably. I understand the comfort eating, it's something I've always done. What I don't get it why
I want to eat when I'm depressed over being fat. How is that going to help me?

Quoted message said:

Changing this kind of long-term learned behavior is tough. I am learning to substitute
better/smaller treats, such as chocolate covered coffee beans. You can eat a few and it's very
little damage, compared to a big gooey slice of cake and frosting :-)

I'm working on the same tactic. I bought a bag of very rich caramel and chocolate covered popcorn
and am eating it in small amounts and savouring every bite. I think if I can keep lots of low point
foods in the house that I'll be fine, as long as I keep acknowledging my feelings. I think maybe
that's the key.

--
Erin in NZ
125/87.5/75 kgs
125.87/5.1/165 lbs

RafL goal 180.6lbs (82 kilos)

"It is not the mountain we conquer, it is ourselves" Sir Edmund Hilary

Carol in NC said:

Hi Erin,

I think it is because it seems like such a long way to go until you get to the slim version of
yourself that you are chasing. (Sort of like "It's going to take forever, and I really want this
food now to make me feel better."😉

I think you've hit the nail on the head there, thanks :-) So maybe I need to put up my before photo
where I can see it, next to a current photo. That way I can at least see how far I've come.

Quoted message said:

I used to do exactly the same thing. Now, I walk instead. I find that it gets rid of the
depression and helps my weight too.

Yeah, I need to work on that. I've been coming up with too many excuses for not walking in the
evenings. I'm helping my dad move tomorrow so that should burn some calories and keep me away
from food.

--
Erin in NZ
125/87.5/75 kgs
125.87/5.1/165 lbs

RafL goal 180.6lbs (82 kilos)

"It is not the mountain we conquer, it is ourselves" Sir Edmund Hilary

Miss Violette said:

I think our bodies are just like that, you are depressed and you feel like you are a "bad person"
so you punish yourself by making your body look worse because your mind knows that will definitely
make you feel bad and I think punished = bad, Lee, just an opinion

That's something to think about, thanks. I think maybe Carol has it right though. Goal seems so far
away and the food is right there. Instant gratification.

--
Erin in NZ
125/87.5/75 kgs
125.87/5.1/165 lbs

RafL goal 180.6lbs (82 kilos)

"It is not the mountain we conquer, it is ourselves" Sir Edmund Hilary

On Tue, 6 Jan 2004 09:59:57 -0000, "Petal"

mrsdoyles_teapot@#NoSpam#yahoo.co.uk said:

I'm really sorry that you're going through this, Erin. Like others have mentioned, eating is
comforting and I definitely find comfort in certain foods. I tend to eat when my body image is bad
because part of my brain says "What's the point of all the hard work if the weight isn't coming
off? I might as well not bother."

Yeah, our brains say silly things sometimes. My brain has been telling me that I'm not going to make
it anyway so why bother. Which is really silly because I *am* going to make it!!!

Quoted message said:

Changing how you eat is tough. Really tough. I found quitting smoking easier because although I've
had cravings, I haven't had a puff since I quit. I cannot say the same about sticking to a healthy
way of eating, unfortunately.

I'm always amazed at how quickly my old eating habits can raise their heads again. I can't eat as
much as I used to but I can still eat way more than I need to.

Quoted message said:

What's helped for me is finding non-food ways to cheer myself up. What else makes you happy and
feel good? When you're feeling low, does talking to someone help? Writing in a journal? Going out
and seeing friends? Distracting yourself with an activity? Pampering yourself?

I've been playing games on the computer and pampering myself. It seems to be working so far and I
plan to keep coming up with new ideas when the current ones get boring.

Quoted message said:

You've done really well so far - 35 kilos is nothing to sneeze at! Best of luck with your
challenge. 🙂

Thanks Petal. I see why everyone missed you so much :-)

--
Erin in NZ
125/87.5/75 kgs
125.87/5.1/165 lbs

RafL goal 180.6lbs (82 kilos)

"It is not the mountain we conquer, it is ourselves" Sir Edmund Hilary

On Tue, 06 Jan 2004 06:41:15 -0600, Prairie Roots <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

I find that at the moment of eating for just about any reason beyond hunger, I've disconnected the
relationship between food and weight. In that moment, food is my best friend. It makes no demands
of me; it fills the emptiness; it's available; it doesn't ask any questions; it warms me; it
reminds me of "mother" and "home" and, if I push that notion far enough, "womb." It's only later,
when the food has done the job and we're feeling better that we re-connect with the reality of food
and then we feel guilty.

I think you're right. It's amazing really how food can do so much.

Quoted message said:

For me, resisting cravings (white-knuckling, as they say in Overeaters Anonymous) is very hard.
Some of the tools OA suggest are those that others here have already suggested: call a friend, go
for a walk, write in your journal and acknowledge your feelings.

I think acknowledging my feels might be the key for me. If I talk to myself about what I'm feeling
and why and go from there.

Quoted message said:

Many of us have been (and continue to be) where you are. Hang in there. And when it happens, keep
coming back. No guilt and move on and all that stuff.

Thanks PR.

--
Erin in NZ
125/87.5/75 kgs
125.87/5.1/165 lbs

RafL goal 180.6lbs (82 kilos)

"It is not the mountain we conquer, it is ourselves" Sir Edmund Hilary

Erin Marsh said:

Joyce said:

We all have different situations that we tend to gravitate towards food. I have been lucky,
depression/anger is not one of mine. I clean when those things hit, can't eat because my stomach
is in a knot. But boredom ... watch out!

I eat out of boredom as well. I'm getting that under control quite well. Thank g-d for
Computers ;-)

Glad the computer works for you, unfortunately I can still eat while on the computer. I think I am
controlling the problem, but I still have my moments. I am definitely more aware now though. Hunger
eating I know exactly what I want ... boredom I tend to look forever and nothing really interests
me. That's when I know to just walk away totally.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Keep trying to fight those urges.

Thanks Joyce. My husband is working really hard on making me lose those body image issues and he's
doing a really good job. He even

Quoted message said:

working, I've stuck to points for 4 days in a row now and had a nice whoosh this morning to keep
the motivation flowing.

Hey, good for you! I've also been totally on track this entire week. No whoosh for me though, timing
is just not right. TOM any day/minute, and I can definitely feel it ... bloated, all of that good
stuff we deal with. <sigh>

Joyce

yeah hubby, Lee
Erin Marsh <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Joyce said:

We all have different situations that we tend to gravitate towards food.

I have

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

been lucky, depression/anger is not one of mine. I clean when those

things hit,

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

can't eat because my stomach is in a knot. But boredom ... watch out!

I eat out of boredom as well. I'm getting that under control quite well. Thank g-d for
Computers ;-)

Quoted message said:

Keep trying to fight those urges.

Thanks Joyce. My husband is working really hard on making me lose those body image issues and he's
doing a really good job. He even

Quoted message said:

working, I've stuck to points for 4 days in a row now and had a nice whoosh this morning to keep
the motivation flowing.

--
Erin in NZ
125/87.5/75 kgs
275.3/192.7/165 lbs

RafL goal 180.6lbs (82 kilos)

"It is not the mountain we conquer, it is ourselves" Sir Edmund Hilary