How do you take control on impulsive behaviors (i.e. overeating, spending)?

[blackemerald1]

@SeekingAfrica - regarding the type of food you are consuming - when you do stock your fridge buy things that can be eaten unprocessed or uncooked. Things that are slow to eat but not slow to grab.

Carrots, celery, apples, nuts. Keep a little bag with you on your way home so you are not famished when you unlock the door. :)

 

[hithere]

There was a book found back in the 80's that helped me so much with this and I wish I could remember the name of it! I'll try to give a quick summary. I had a little notebook designated only for healing the eating disorder. step
1) keep a daily record of everything that is consumed. Don't count calories or anything. Just live and write down what was consummed every day for one week.
2)At the end of the week look at the patterns to see if there are any.
3) Look for "trigger foods" Foods that if you eat one spoonful will almost always lead to over eating For me that is peanut butter. Peanut Butter releases endorphines at great measure. Also for me it is carbs & butter-again endorphine releasers. so my pleasure center is totally involved.
4) identify your trigger foods & get all trigger foods OUT of the house.
*5) The heart of this work: After a binge or over-eating episode, or emotional eating, write down in the journal exactly what you were thinking and feeling. Then examine that real close. You will probably see "polarized" thoughts and feelings. And right before the conflicted thoughts and feelings there was probably some thoughts that you wanted to completely avoid. So dig into those thoughts that you want to avoid. It's probably hard stuff that you don't want to admit or that you feel you have no control over. It is probably NOT even PTSD related. Probably current relational or identity-related stuff. When you write it into your little notebook, make decisions of what you will do or think about the thing you are avoiding. Accept what you can't change. Use compassion on any shame-based feelings.

That serenidty prayer really works while evaluating the thoughts and feelings that are being avoided.

I hope that wasn't too much. I also try to be sure I have 3 whole hours in between food consumption. Menu planning every meal including drinks, snacks, and times always helps me reign in that emotional eating because I follow the menu plan. Planning the menu for all meals for 7 days in advance is very helpful. Meal planning is very big component for my success with this.

Also I'm glad I read all these suggestions for urge delay. that is a great tool and idea.

 

[SeekingAfrica]

I hope that wasn't too much.

No, not too much. Perfect actually. Thank you so much, I will try and start applying that. I have on occasion wanted to try keeping track of what I eat but I didn't follow through. Also I like the idea about thinking through what the trigger was. There was time when I was starting to eat healthy and exercise regularly and losing weight quickly and when I realized I was finally getting back to my golden weight I started panicking and I quickly gained it back. So I do have things to think through for sure.

Also for about a year my income was non existent at times so since then I have stopped planning anything, I buy food for maybe 3 days ahead at most. Managing to meal plan would be incredible.

Thank you for the detailed advice! Highly appreciated.

 

[hithere]

@SeekingAfrica I actually do best when I only shop for the meal plan 3 days or 2 days out at a time because of my work schedule is a challenge. I may plan for 7 days on paper, but I have to shop every 2 to 3 days because of my storage and my life-style. But if I have the plan written out, I know what to buy when I go to the store. I will have it all figured out & prepared the night before I go to sleep. The next day, no matter what comes up, I have the plan. I have alternative fast food and restaurant plans, too, because of my career. I do not have set hours-my work schedule cannot be managed at all. So I have to have alternates planned out, and proper high protein snacks already in my car for emergencies. There are fast foods that I can eat & I learned to make good choices there if it's necessary.

Also, I meant to highlight that it is the "Thoughts & Feelings" RIGHT BEFORE the emotional eating. There are usually these thoughts and feelings going on under the top level consciousness for awhile right before the emotional eating, or that feeling of "I"M SO HUNGRY RIGHT NOW!" These are the thoughts & feelings that lead to the dysfunctional eating. So the eating urges are diverting from painful decisions or painful truths. (as well as the self-sabatoge thoughts (me too). Good Luck!

 

[KimmyO]

It is very common to try to fill a void with food or shopping. What if you fill that void with a good book instead? A great mystery or comedy. There is healing in laughter, after all. =) I am thinking I have talked with you before about taking magnesium and ginseng to calm you, have you tried them? It takes time to notice so you gotta stay with it. Also, what about volunteering? Helping others helps us too. Remember, you can eat to fill, just make wiser choices, like fruit salad from fresh, or deli meats and cheese, or nuts. They fill you faster and for longer and almonds have magnesium. =) Anyway, hoping you find peace and fulfillment!

 

[HealingInProcess]

I am trying to switch my coping mechanism from food to cute pictures of animals and improvisational jazz as an accompaniment.

 

[HealingInProcess]

@SeekingAfrica I actually do best when I only shop for the meal plan 3 days or 2 days out at a time because of my work schedule is a challenge. I may plan for 7 days on paper, but I have to shop every 2 to 3 days because of my storage and my life-style. But if I have the plan written out, I know what to buy when I go to the store. I will have it all figured out & prepared the night before I go to sleep. The next day, no matter what comes up, I have the plan. I have alternative fast food and restaurant plans, too, because of my career. I do not have set hours-my work schedule cannot be managed at all. So I have to have alternates planned out, and proper high protein snacks already in my car for emergencies. There are fast foods that I can eat & I learned to make good choices there if it's necessary.

Also, I meant to highlight that it is the "Thoughts & Feelings" RIGHT BEFORE the emotional eating. There are usually these thoughts and feelings going on under the top level consciousness for awhile right before the emotional eating, or that feeling of "I"M SO HUNGRY RIGHT NOW!" These are the thoughts & feelings that lead to the dysfunctional eating. So the eating urges are diverting from painful decisions or painful truths. (as well as the self-sabatoge thoughts (me too). Good Luck!

Yes it's hard to deal with because it can feel like a flood of emotions. I am working on trying to just ride it out but it's not easy.

 

[HealingInProcess]

No, not too much. Perfect actually. Thank you so much, I will try and start applying that. I have on occasion wanted to try keeping track of what I eat but I didn't follow through. Also I like the idea about thinking through what the trigger was. There was time when I was starting to eat healthy and exercise regularly and losing weight quickly and when I realized I was finally getting back to my golden weight I started panicking and I quickly gained it back. So I do have things to think through for sure.

Also for about a year my income was non existent at times so since then I have stopped planning anything, I buy food for maybe 3 days ahead at most. Managing to meal plan would be incredible.

Thank you for the detailed advice! Highly appreciated.

Yeah times of crisis in my life have put a break in my planning and it takes me a while to get back on track.

 

[SeekingAfrica]

I tried postponing overeating one time when I felt the urge and it helped! I've been analyzing when it happens a bit and I'm noticing it's often when I get more anxious and I can't concentrate. And I suppose my mind jumps to the most comfortable foods I know and sadly I have to say that they do calm me down fast(probably the combo of habit and sugar). But when I remember I am trying to change that slowly.

Postponing was a great idea! It gave me time to calm down and therefore not crave the same foods. I just need to keep applying it when I can.

 

[hithere]

I tried postponing overeating one time when I felt the urge and it helped! I've been analyzing when it happens a bit and I'm noticing it's often when I get more anxious and I can't concentrate. And I suppose my mind jumps to the most comfortable foods I know and sadly I have to say that they do calm me down fast(probably the combo of habit and sugar). But when I remember I am trying to change that slowly.

Postponing was a great idea! It gave me time to calm down and therefore not crave the same foods. I just need to keep applying it when I can.

Thanks for the encouragement--because I just went immediately for the bag of nuts (which calm me down) and I need to start paying attention, and postponing as well. The problem have with "post-poning" the urge to eat is it may end up later on a a total binge, out of control thing. (*sigh*) I've been healthy before, I need to get healthy again.

Also, from your profile status it sounds like you are dealing with some very personally stressful interactions and decisions. So that's great you were able to stay aware and make those food decisions in the midst of it.

 

[HealingInProcess]

Thanks for the encouragement--because I just went immediately for the bag of nuts (which calm me down) and I need to start paying attention, and postponing as well. The problem have with "post-poning" the urge to eat is it may end up later on a a total binge, out of control thing. (*sigh*) I've been healthy before, I need to get healthy again.

Also, from your profile status it sounds like you are dealing with some very personally stressful interactions and decisions. So that's great you were able to stay aware and make those food decisions in the midst of it.

Yes I want to ditto this postponing advice has been helpful to me as well and God bless you for it.

Yes to your post hithere it's like I'm involved in a hostage negotiation with my limbic system (lizard brain) where if I don't give in to its demands then it counter-threatens with an all out binge later. I am having mixed success but still some success!! Once you start successfully resisting these impulses you can build on that by telling yourself it's just an impulse that you already have a track record of resisting.

 

[SeekingAfrica]

Thanks for the encouragement--because I just went immediately for the bag of nuts (which calm me down) and I need to start paying attention, and postponing as well. The problem have with "post-poning" the urge to eat is it may end up later on a a total binge, out of control thing. (*sigh*) I've been healthy before, I need to get healthy again.

Also, from your profile status it sounds like you are dealing with some very personally stressful interactions and decisions. So that's great you were able to stay aware and make those food decisions in the midst of it.

I know that feeling completely. I haven't managed many of these urges today. So I am having mixed success too...But that's why we're here right? To support and encourage each other.

I am going through a bit of a funk with lots of things, as I realized today, so it's been though. But thinking back, there was a difference when I managed to resist. That was the day when I was setting goals, some of them about health and fitness. So I spend some time thinking of what I was trying to achieve and how my actions didn't align with that. And I also spend a long time watch fitness health videos for inspiration. So I think this was the difference- that my head with filled with these healthier images of myself, rather than only whatever induced the panic.

So I was able to remember that however I felt while panicking, I am still trying to push past it to reach certain goal and overeating won't help that. I was also filled with all the advice I go on here. So resisting was a bit easier! So I am planning on making flashcards with ideas, and post pictures of ballet imaged I like on my kitchen cabinet doors and to post the 90day goal countdown calendar next to my bed. Basically everything that may somehow remind me that I will get to another day, even if I don't feel like it and that I am trying to do better for this new me...

Which as it happens really is something I need to remember today! So thanks for writing on here, this in turn encourages me:).