Okay here it is ladies....I am confessing.

On the surface you see a smiling, seemingly happy 27 year old girl, an attentive nurse maybe; a girl with shoulder length brown hair, blue eyes and high cheekbones. Successful on the outside, a survivor; the only problem is...this girl is overweight, chubby, zaftig, a DIVA you might say.

I have gained a LOT of weight since the break up of my engagement...I gained the 20lbs I lost before the wedding and probably 10 more and to tell you the truth I definitely didn't need the extra pounds in the first place.

Here is the truth, my name is Theresa and I am an emotional eater(tongue in cheek, sort of).

I have successfully moved to a new city, gained a highly sought after job, am educated and some may say I may even be pretty, but I am eating myself into a virtual coma to numb myself from my feelings. I have only one pair of jeans that I can fit into, I am not at my new job's Christmas party as we speak because I feel too fat (and I don't even know if my clothes will fit) and I thank God every day that I wear scrub pants with an adjustable drawstring to work!!!
I need help ladies...I lost weight very successfully on weight watchers about 4 years ago and was even jogging 3 miles a day...I was a size 10 and happy with that.

I know how to eat and I know to exercise...but my problems lie in the fact that I am medicating myself with food. I think if I had an outlet for my feelings maybe I could start to focus on the hows and whats of eating better and exercising more.

Does anyone else have a problem with binging when emotional?
Does anyone want to band with me to try to bring some of our issues to light and try to help each other?

I really don't have any friends (in real life) that I can talk to about stuff, so I thought I would try here.

Maybe we could have topics to discuss each week...?
Or maybe we could PM each other to support each other?
If anyone interested let me know.
Theresa....:ham: :pizza: :weeping: :pig:

Theresa, I know that girl too!!! i eat because i am bored, because i really want to scream my bloody lungs out and can't because i don't know why, so YES I am here with you. I need to exercise, i need to stop eating junk, i need to start taking better care of myself, and if you want to have a diet/exercise/ scream your lungs out buddy i will be it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! thanks for starting this one, i tried to put on my denims the other day and they wouldn't go, i have been so depressed since i just want to crawl into a hole. so yes we can band together and lose weight!!!!! let me know when you want to start and how.

Well, I am not sure how to do this. Should we try to PM each other on a weekly basis and support each other that way, or maybe we could have a discussion or a scheduled chat at certain intervals to check in with our efforts. I know there are topics I want to address:
1) What are your first memories of eating for comfort? Or feelings other than hunger?

2) what substitutions can be utilized instead of eating for emotional satisfaction?

3) Who/What has influenced the way you feel about yourself, your weight?

4) What tools to use in the actual process of dieting? (Weight Watchers, counting calories, atkins, etc)

5) What can we do for exercise?

6) What emotions are not being released/satisfied/attended to that are causing us to eat?
Maybe each question can be addressed as a thread each week and we can work through these issues together in addition to all of us trying to eat better and connect with our emotions.
What do you think? Any other suggestions?
I can try to post these questions each week on an agreed upon day of the week....

Well if it is just us do you want to post it or do you want to pm it??
then if others join us we can do a thread.
great ideas. self esteem is something else that needs to be worked on also. JMT.

Sure we can PM each other and then if more join we can post some of these questions...others on the boards may be able to give us objective feedback too.
When do you want to start? I know with Christmas and holidays, starting now may just be setting us up for failure AND with the New Year coming up, this thread may become popular, so why don't we start after New Years...Like Monday January 6th...Gives us plenty of time to get the holiday leftovers out of the way and time to prepare for healthy living...the weeks ahead maybe we can help each other prepare. Maybe even with the mindset of wanting to eat healthier, maybe we won't GAIN weight over the holidays...that would be a first.

I pmed you back. staying where i am over the holiday would be great i am really going to try if not going down at least staying where i am.

I am waiting for the green light from the dr to start an exercise program and to get on the ball with improving my nutrition and then I am starting a healthy lifestyle club. (I am shooting for January)
I know there are a lot of us interested and we can support each other. You're not alone.

Sara

Thanks Sara i knew that what is up with my head lately? don't answer that.

January is when i plan on starting.. My boss at work is actually going to help me *G*. She lost alot of weight in the last two years and is going to walk me through the process she took.

1. it starts with about 3 liters of water a day.
2. cutting out chocolate and pop...(my two major weaknesses)..
3. not snacking at my desk AT All.

I have the rest of this month to get into the right mind-frame...I hope it works..

If you just tell yourself no, and let things work just long enough to see some results ( a week or two), you will be more emotionally able to deny yourself some of the foods that you THOUGHT brought you pleasure. I still have cravings especially at night. I am a night eater. I have just been telling myself however, to give myself a chance to feel better. It really is working. I am singing the praises of the Atkins diet, I am a carb junkie so it isn't always easy, but it gets a little easier each day. Before I started this diet, I QUIT eating candy, I left myself room for something sweet, like a dessert, but no candy. Everyone who is committed to make changes in their lives need to draw the lines somewhere. That place is different for everyone. I knew if I could give up smoking, I could give up candy. I am also here going through this if you need but another person to support you. Baby nurse, you have so much going on, I keep you in my prayers at night. Things in your life just need time to even out, don't rush the process, you know what you are ready for. I know I don't speak for myself here, this is a place where people really seem to genuinely care for the others here. Keep posting. It was very liberating when I posted how much I weighed, I hadn't said it out loud. Maybe the things you have shared will be as liberating. I hope so. God Bless You! Remember He also will support you!

I am/was an emotional eater, and I eat when I'm bored, and I eat when I see a good commercial for something yummy, it goes on and on..

Something finally snapped in me when dh told me "just DON'T eat when you get sad/depressed etc..you are stronger than that Heather, don't let it overcome you" And that really worked for me. I mean at first I just overcame the urge (by remembering what he said) and stayed online when i was depressed or just went straight to bed. Now sometimes I'll let myself binge on carrot sticks and have a few tootsie rolls on the side. Oh and lots of water! :D If I feel a binge coming on I try to really fill up on the water till I'm about to burst :D

I like to dance for exercise when I'm depressed, I put on whatever song that really cheers me up, and move to the beat of it :) That usually gets me inspired to do a 'real' workout, it gets me more energized I guess.

Eat small portions of that something you really love, savor each bite of it, make it special, and stop eating it once you are no longer eating it for the flavor. I noticed with cashews (my recent favorite snack), if I eat too many they start tasting just WEIRD :P I think it's a great way to get me to stop from pigging out on them :P But some things always taste good, but there is a point where it kind of just doesn't 'phase' me like the first bite did, kwim?

Other outlets for your emotions..hmm, writing is good, I like to write anything really, a list for things to do that day or the next, a grocery list, a list of things I *don't need, or figure out how much I saved in coupons all month, or write down a list of my goals, things like that usually get me sidetracked from food.

robin i am going to start atkins again.
that is my whole plan.
and tons of water, i need to start cutting back on soda so i can completely lose it first of the year.

Lady's....I'd love to join in on a modified Atkins after the first of the year.

I can't believe I wrote a graduate paper on Obesity for my Psychopathology class and here I am stuffed, tubby, and like you, food driven! And I am having to do everything I can to stay out of the pantry.

Eating isn't being frugal....course I believe there are roots to overeating.

Either way, Please count me in for January 6th.

Well, I knew we would have more buddies in this quest for a new healthy start to the new year. Thanks for the responses so far and I hope we can continue to support each other over the process!!

Wow, I though I was the only one that does that. Gee, I guess I was wrong. I get depress & then I eat. the holidays there are more goodies & I want to taste too. It just seems like it just sticks to me as fat. :( But maybe being here with you all. I just might make it!:) Thanks so very much!:angel: :paw:

I would like to join in on a healthy eating challenge at the beginning of the year too! I have been baking/eating sooo many goodies in the last few weeks and that hasn't put me in a better holiday spirit. Okay---the things that I think worked when I lost 10 lbs a few months ago are: 1-Drinking tons of water, at least 1/2 before 10am-12noon. 2-Focus meals around the vegetables then add 25% for carbohydrate and 25% for a protien or meat. 3-At least once a week write down food eaten and tally. 4- Exercise 3-5 times aweek (I am going to be a mall walker starting in January) 5-Plan for a sensible treat and something to do for myself after the kids go to bed. I sometimes totally binge at that time if the kids have stressed me out--which they do! But when I plan for a treat to look forward to and something to do like quilting or a bubble bath, it goes better!

Good luck all!