A compulsive eater needs advice

[InkyPunkyGothyPoo]

I often try diets but fail miserably. I’m a compulsive eater and I comfort eat. I can do okay sometimes until the afternoon and then it’s as though I feel like I’m missing out. I then end up eating ever more than ever.

How can I cut down what I currently eat and also eat healthier? I’m not sure if it has an influence on my eating, but I suffer from depression and anxiety. I take regular medication for this.

I struggle with ideas for taking lunch to work and for easy teas that the kids will eat. I also frequently skip breakfast.

I want to make changes that will help me become healthier and lose weight. But seeing someone eating something I’m trying not to makes me feel angry. Is this a normal emotion to feel? Or do I have deeper issues?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

You need to treat this as a mental problem rather than a physical one. Once you are able to understand the reasons and patterns behind your eating, you can address the root cause of it. Until you do that, it's unlikely anything will change. Look into CBT/hypnosis/self help books. Think of it this way- if you were addicted to cocaine, would you try and fix your problem by having less of it/having it in healthier forms? No, you would deal with the addiction. I know that's a really extreme comparison to make, but what helped me to lose weight was to address my issues with willpower and self control.

People that repeatedly fail at diets do so because the mental change never happens. Once it happens, it's like everything clicks- you suddenly realise why you're doing it and just how much willpower it really takes. Until you make that mental change, you will end up repeating the same patterns.

With the right motivation and desire, anything is possible OP. If CBT/hypnosis are out of your reach financially, do some research online into emotional eating and compulsive eating- there's so much helpful stuff out there to help you challenge your thinking and behaviour and make positive changes.