Comfort/stress eating, anyone kicked the habit?

[GlumyGloomer]

It's my big downfall. I can manage what I eat when not stressed out to the max or very sleep deprived, but I have 2 small kids so that's basically just my life for the foreseeable. I go through the day feeling a constant tension which chocolate etc helps to alleviate for a few moments. I had GD in both pregnancies, and I really need to lose the sugar dependency, but it's so hard. I've had so many false starts. Has anyone managed to overcome the habit on the emotional level? I can't afford hypnotherapy or anything like that. I know there is no magic solution, so I guess I'm just asking if it can be done, to the point of not feeling tempted any more?

Sorry op I wish I had the answer! But jumping on this in case someone comes along who does!! I'm the heaviest I've ever been but I can't seem to quash the sweet tooth or the stress eating 😳

Oh well, at least I know I'm not alone, lol. It's my birthday on Tuesday but after the cake and chocolates from that are gone I'm going to try to stop eating sugary snacks, again. It's just a bit grim to think of missing them for the rest of my life (that being the best case scenario where I manage to quite now before I develop diabetes, sigh)

I’ve managed to control the calories but not the sugar dependency.
A sweet drink is my answer. Either a juice watered down with lots of ice if it’s hot or a coffee with sugar and some dairy free milk if it’s cool.
The idea is to start switching to iced water and coffee without sugar

Another one here! I also have two small DC and find myself craving sugar to get me through the day. Especially so in lockdown! Really need to kick the habit, it's not just putting on weight, it's also really affecting my mood. I find evenings once the kids are in bed is my weakest time - and late afternoon when it feels like the day will never end. The sweet drink suggestion is a good one though...

Oh God I did this for years, felt like I had not much else going on by way of fun so decided food would be my treat to myself.

I recently decided to just put the brakes on because I was just getting heavier and heavier. I tried lots of diets before but this time decided to just count my calories, avoid alcohol, make healthier choices overall but still find a way to allow myself some sweet treats rather than just banning myself from them altogether!

So I looked for less calorific or "healthier" versions of things, (e.g, Livia's kitchen raw millionaire bites, Fibre One bars) I also keep a jar of Options hot chocolate powder on hand if I desperately want something sweet in the afternoon. So far that's worked better for me than just cutting stuff out altogether. I make room for them in my meal plans so I have something to look forward to but I feel more like I'm in control rather than cravings controlling me if you know what I mean?

Obviously some of those things contain sweeteners which is a whole other debate but I do feel like I've gone the longest on this diet because I've given myself permission to have occasional treats rather than complete cold turkey. Hard though! I do love mint aero!

Fruit tea works for me. It's warm and comforting, and has sweetness to it.

Hot drinks would normally be my go to fix, but quite difficult to manage with a baby, sigh.
Thanks for sharing your experiences, it's really great to know I'm not alone.
Due to the fridge breaking down the meal plan went out the window last week, but hoping to get that back on track and then start again next week. To begin I think I'll go for 1 100cal snack allowed a day and see how it goes.
@ColourMeExhausted yes mid afternoon is the worst. Ironically I end up having a snack to power me through cooking dinner

I've not got a solution to suggest. But I have the exact same problem due to two small kids. I'm trying to just eat healthily all round and hoping that the comfort eating will work itself out that way. This is my approach:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/weight_loss_chat/3964117-Learning-to-eat-healthily-support-thread

So far I'm still comfort snacking, but just a biscuit or piece of chocolate, not a massive binge.