Since starting Atkins, I've had some major emotional turmoils in my life. I'm thankful I was on Atkins......God knows how and what I would have eaten if I wasn't.

One odd thing I have noticed is that when I'm going through something, I seem to have more anger outbursts now. My philosophy is that I can't stuff it down with food all the time like I used to. Either that or my hormones are just shot.

Being on Atkins and in ketosis has really helped me. It helps me feel full and satisfied. I find that I'm no longer just hanging out grabbing junk food. When an emotional time hits I find myself stepping back, analyzing it, and I tell myself that I've come too far; I'm not going to wreck my success over this! When I do that I feel like I'm taking control of my life - it's very powerful!

Wow, lots of great ideas. I made it thru last night without going totally crazy-I did end up eating pepperoni as a snack, (if you call the package a snack) knew I wasn't hungry, but just can't seem to fight the need. Anyway, made it thru that day, and have been doing well today-nothing that wasn't induction safe and no snacking. I do better at night when my boyfriend is here, I don't sleep well and thats when the trouble starts. Its like i tell myself, ok I'm up-lets EAT! I have tried what you discribe as "fasting" going all day, then eating one meal..doesn't go that way for me. I get upset, a headache, etc around 3 or 4 in the afternoon, and by dinner I eat all of that and then I'd look for more. Anyway, one day at a time, so far so good. Thank you for all the support and ideas.I decided to tape a postit in sight on the fridge with my lbs on it. So, everytime I want to eat I have to face it, and say, ok is that worth eat? I have to remind myself how I got this way, and remember that I did this once before and now with a wedding and new life approaching its even more important to me. thanks

When I use to watch most sports, I couldn't just can't sit there...I had to eat something. It's not that I was hungry or anything, it's just like the TV is telling me to eat. Anyways, now when I have to indulge, which is rarely, I eat legal food. So I might fry up some bacon or hamburger. Spice up the hamburger and a pound of that will fill you. I also keep some hard boiled eggs around...add some mayo, and I'm in heaven.

Sleep deprivation raises your stress hormones that also trigger the desire to eat. If you can't get into a better sleep cycle you are going to need to find another activity to do...

take a bath or start a craft or puzzle or read a book. I experienced this sensation when I was sleep deprived with my newborn.

Regarding fasting. Start with just forcing youself to eat only 3 meals a day...any healthy adult should be able to train themselves to do that....and then if you want to cut to fewer meals go to 2 then to 1...You may find success with training yourself to just eat at mealtime.

Best wishes

I am most definitely an emotional eater. People who are emotional eaters don't think that eating is going to bring back the boyfriend or reduce life's stress. We do it because it's something pleasurable to focus on, it takes our minds off of the multitude of nameless worries, fears, anxieties, guilt, shame, depression, etc. Even if just for a little while.

It's not healthy. Realizing why we do it is a path to the solution. If it's a huge issue, then get some counseling. A good behavioral therapist can help you to deal with all those negative thoughts, with those processes in place, there is less anxiety;less desire to seek escape through food.

Therapy worked for me pretty well. I still have my moments. Atkins is perfect for that though. When I want to hit the ice cream container or the bag of Doritos, I simply cannot. So I find something better for me. If I want to kill my appetite....Two hardboiled eggs will usually do the trick.

Hope that helps.

I think sometimes I eat just to be eating. I like to eat at night while watching tv, not because I'm hungry but just because I like to eat. The one great thing about following this plan in the past is that if you have the correct foods in the house its not that big of a deal. For me personally getting back into excercise/running has helped me alot. Channeling that energy to good use. When I run I can focus about everything going on with me and as soon as I start seeing results on the scale then I just get energized. It's a great feeling! Then I seem to get harder on myself not to wonder off plan. I have done this 3 times now and each time I failed it started with me stopping with my daily exercise because of getting busy with something else in life. So the next time you get hungry, go for a walk. Do the opposite of what you would normally do to change the balance in your life. Good luck to everyone.

Ya, totally.

Geneen Roth has done some great work with emotional eating. Her books are fantastic, and her method can be modified to work with low carb. At the heart of them all is actually feeling one's feelings, and having a full life instead of just a full stomach.

I highly recommend these.

Such great ideas, and support!

I think in some way we are all emotional eaters, if not we drink emotionally, smoke emotionally, or fine some outlet.

I recently this past April realized that I had developed a habit of gorging food when I was alone. I did that as a kid, because well. no one was home to stop me and i could eat whatever I wanted and not be told no. It continued as an adult. When I had a day off that myhusband worked, I would eat until I couldn't anymore. Why? I have no clue. But I did break that habit! THANK goodness!

Just now that you know your an emotional eater, start placing more emphasis on why your eating. Maybe that will help.

I can't control emotional eating on my own. That's how I reached 300+ twice in my life (once before GBS and then recently). Since I started Atkins seriously at the end of May, I'm continually amazed at my ability to just say no. I used to spend every waking moment obsessing about food...I would seriously get a feeling of panic if I was stuck at home without any snack food/sodas, etc. I can't even describe how it feels to be free of that. Who knew that it wasn't "food" that held me in a death grip, it was carbs! All I have to do is stick to plan...I still get cravings, but I can find a substitute (I have a sub for everything but oatmeal...if anyone has any suggestions, please let me know )

Cooked pumpkin puree with a pat of butter , cream and sweetener of your choice with whichever spices you like is a good thing to eat instead of oatmeal. Doesnt taste the same but it feels the need for me.
Flax meal, with some nut flour (like almond or pecan), butter, cream and sweetener are good too.

Thank you! I will definitely try both of those.

Sweet Mary! That sounds amazing and I'm DEFINITELY going to try it once I graduate to Phase II.

As pathetic as it sounds, my oatmeal is the one this I truly miss since going gluten free. I was devastated when I reacted to gluten free oatmeal.

I'm an emotional eater and it is difficult...When I am sad or lonely I go for food.... Today I was depressed and ate a whole can of cashews.... It is difficult because when I am in ketosis I am not hungry at all...or when I do IF.... Don't have an answer other than a diversion of some sort... Of course, that is a food, cashews, that I can't seem to handle in small amounts...so I have to keep it out of the house... Foods like that I keep out of the house, most of the time!

TJ