Suggestions to avoid emotional eating?

I've got a whole smorgasboard of stuff happening this month that is starting to make me crazy already. I am looking for a new job, shopping for the holidays, and have a dear friend that will be off to Iraq in a few weeks. I just lost his brother (my long-time close friend) this past August. So I need some suggestions to avoid eating to keep all the anxiety down. Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Sophie

Mon. Dec 5, 8:22am

This may sound bizzare, but when you feel compelled to consume for emotional reasons, try doing yoga or going for a walk, or something physical. Both can release stress or endorphins, that can make you feel better than the tub of ice cream will, and then there's no guilt after.

Monday, December 5, 2005, 12:29 PM

I couldn't agree more! My own preference is to get outside for exercise, weather and other conditions permitting. Nothing quite like a walk or a jog or a bike ride on a bright, sunny day to lift the spirits, even if it is cold.

On days when it isn't reasonable to exercise outside, I find it helps a lot to do yoga from a tape/CD with an outdoor setting. One of my favorites for setting is "Yoga Shakti", with Shiva Rea. It is set on a sandbar in the Indian Ocean, and the scenery is breathtaking. You can get details on Amazon.com, among other sites.

A couple of other thoughts to help control the damage from impulse eating:
1. To better resist the temptation, do not keep unhealthy foods around the house.
2. Do keep cut vegetables and fresh fruit around.

Best of success to you with this, Sophie.

Digby

Monday, December 5, 2005, 1:36 PM

Binge on Healthy Food

Sometimes a walk or meditation just won't cut it for me. I feel like I just HAVE to eat. Try this for a wonderful fill-you-up-with-comfort food: cut a large butternut squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Place cut side down in a roasting pan, surround with apples and pears, cut in quarters and seeded but leave the peels on. Sprinkle fruit with cinnamon. Add 2 T water to the pan and roast in a 400 F oven until squash is tender (about 1 hour). When you take it out of the oven there will be some juice in the bottom of the pan. Leave the squash as is in the pan until it absorbs the juice (about 10 mins). You won't need to add anything to this squash (no butter or salt). Eat the whole darn dish of it if you like. It's loaded with vitamins and protein (yes....veggies contain protein too!)

(This may freak out you no-carb people but I've been eating this way for about 3 weeks now and have dropped 15 lbs so far.)

Enjoy!
Trish

Monday, December 5, 2005, 2:38 PM

Sweet potatoes

I recently discovered a totally easy way to prepare them - scrub and wash them (don't dry) and throw them in the crockpot on low setting for a couple hours or so. Then I just eat them plain or maybe with a little salt. They're good cold out of the fridge too. Maybe it's not the healthiest veggie, but at least it's not candy or chips and it fulfills your craving for something sweet.

Eva

Monday, December 5, 2005, 9:46 PM

I've never had butternut squash but it sounds yummy.
Sometimes I think instead of eating I should just let myself feel what I have to feel- not look to numb it.
Thanks for the support!
Sophie

Tuesday, December 6, 2005, 8:42 AM

Delicata (sp?) squash is also wonderful! needs no sugar or butter - just roast well at a high temp and it will release its own sugars.

Personally though I find the meditation/go-do-something thing works most of the time. Grabbing the phone and calling a friend or family also perks me up and get's me out of my funk.

When none of those things in convenient a cup of warm liquid is also quite comforting and satisfying. I like the tazo Passion for something tart and fruity and warm and hot chocolate for something richer and smoother. There's something comforting about brewing it and it takes a long time to drink.

Tuesday, December 6, 2005, 1:33 PM

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