Does anyone have any advice on stopping comfort eating?

[OhLook]

Just that really. Since my marriage broke up in July it's all I've been doing and I cant seem to find the motivation to stop. I'm having loads of job interviews at the moment which isn't helping my stress.

I just feel powerless at the moment.

To kill two birds with one stone, I started walking my dog in the evening instead of sitting in front of TV and comfort eating.

Really long 90 minute plus walks, 7 days A week with no excuse accepted to not go out the door. In fact these walks ultimately lead to me starting the Couch to 5km program and learning to run in place of walking.

I walk my dog daily but it doesn't stop me comfort eating :(

It's not really about the dog walking, it's about the distraction. Do something else so that you don't eat. Keep busy. For me, not being at home in the evenings helped break the habit.

Is there something you could do instead to stay busy? For me it was walking, what could it be for you?

Another idea beyond hobbies or work, if you are looking to eat as a type of self-soothing or comfort, perhaps try to replace it with some other form of self care and own to-do list? Maybe change the polish on your fingers or toes. Do a face mask. Soak and scrub your feet. Sometimes the self care will distract you from eating, feel really nice, and the results will leave you feeling better than having mindlessly eaten.

Hi ohlook, I've slowly been breaking the comfort eating cycle for the past three months after years of using it to cope. What helped me was seeing a psychologist to address the anxiety and depression which was the true cause of my binge eating.

I'm still very anxious and depressed but now I have other tools I can use to deal with uncomfortable emotions instead of trying to avoid them by endless eating and obsessing about what to eat next. Like other posters have said, distraction is a huge one (walking etc) also cooking absolutely everything from scratch because it takes up so much time and you may find you eat less as a result.

Also (and I know medication is a big decision to make and not correct for everyone) but my anti-depressant medication is working really well for me and has calmed that permanent nervous jangle that made me automatically binge eat.

Also, I think you need you stop being so hard on yourself, you have gone through a major life change so it's ok to feel horrible about it. The fact that you are aware that 'comfort' eating is actually hurting you is a big step in breaking the pattern.

I've lost 15 kilograms over the last year just by reigning back the binge eating, I was so overweight and I had lost all hope that I could be in control of food again. It's not happily ever after, I may binge eat in the future but I'm getting mentally stronger everyday so hopefully I won't be stuck in that cycle again. I was incredibly resistant to seeing a therapist for years but I found one I get along with and having an impartial listener to help make sense of things is really helpful.

Sorry for the long, self-helpy reply - I wish you all the best.

I’m so glad you posted this, OP, I was going to start a similar thread. My DM is dying, just 16 months after my DF died and I’m really struggling. And I’m dealing with it by eating.

I lost a stone last year and was at my goal weight and all my clothes fit and I felt fantastic. For about a week. And then my mum took a big turn for the worse and her doctors said they were stopping treatment and I’ve barely had a bar of chocolate out of my hand since then.

I’m not tempted by big dinners or crisps or anything. It’s my sweet tooth gone in to crazy overdrive.

I’ve put back on nearly all the weight I lost and and feel so down about that on top of everything else.

I need to figure out what to do. I think the solution might be to do something sensory - nice smells or creams or something? Because it definitely feels like my body specifically needs comfort, rather than distracting myself or anything.

I have already advised it on other threads, but please give Brain Over Binge by Kathryn Hansen a try.

I used to think I was powerless. It turns out, I am not. I have not comfort eaten once since I read it (and I lost my mother in the meantime).

Can you try to break the bad habit you have formed? Before I had a very clingy, needy baby, I used to do a workout at the times I wanted to turn to food.

I second the Brain Over Binge recommendation. I listened to her podcast and it totally changed my relationship with food/eating.