What perfect timing! I'm working through these exact issues with my psychologist and have made a number of observations which have really helped me so far. When I have felt a particular emotion that I have used food to avoid in some way, I have noted it down and then came up with suggestions on how to change my emotional state. i.e. When I noticed I felt bored and was eating to make myself feel better, I realised that the food or the cravings for a particular type of food was my body's way of quickly correcting the balance and doing what it knows to make me feel better, because I wasn't doing anything else. So rather than using food, going forward I needed to add more excitement into my life whether it is through social activities or physical activities, or sometimes even something quieter like going to the cinemas to see a movie. Every time I neglected my need for more fun or excitement, I would always revert back to food.

The other areas you mentioned such as feeling tired or frustrated, I have also had these too. Feeling tired often was due to overworking myself or setting an unrealistic schedule, so I had to look at home support and delegating things that I didn't absolutely have to do myself and also start planning when I would do some enjoyable activities each day as well as some much needed down time. I also would go past the juice bars to get some vege juice made up so my body could have a quick hit of nutrients to balance out my energy levels. I would also do things that would recharge me like going down to the beach, walk along the sand, and feel the waves lapping at my feet, or just sit on the sand and look up at the sun and take deep breaths. Feeling frustrated I have found came from not setting firm boundaries, making other people's priorities more important than my own, or not allowing myself to really speak my honest truth to others. So I needed an accountability person that would be an advocate for me and to remind me when I am neglecting my own needs, and help me to start using my voice more and say what I really feel. I also had to get a number of toxic people out of my life and honestly feel like I can start breathing again. Hope these help in some way. Be kind to yourself lovely lady :)

I am so an emotional eater. Food makes me happy....it is my drug of choice so to say! I have been doing Keto since June 2018 and it is the first "diet", although I prefer to call it a "new way of life", that has ever worked for me. I'm still working though "emotional eating" but I will grab a beef stick or a few berries, or a cube of cheese when I feel bored or emotional..or I'll chew sugar free gum, or do journaling...it all helps me. You can do this....we all deserve to be healthy and happy!

First of all I stop beating myself up for it it got to the point where I would feel so guilty I would go in and Purge. It totally sucks having eating disorders and I truly believe that's what most of us have.
We don't need normal we don't eat healthy we eat at crazy times to eat for the stupidest reasons Yep they're our reasons. But like I said baby steps my son got me a gym membership where they have a pool I have wanted to do this for years.
The first thing I did after that was I have a little ritual when I'm done swimming at the pool I put down to the locker rooms via the elevator and I enjoy a hot shower I figured out little quirky things make it easier on myself like for instance try to put on a bra when your body still moist talk about a workout after a workout.
When I am completely done getting dressed I blow dry my hair I go out to my car where I have a protein bar and a bottle of water waiting for me I put my makeup on in the rearview mirror and I look at myself and tell myself that I am beautiful and that I am doing the best I can. But sometimes we get into a rut then we have to push ourselves and that's not always easy trust me I know 58 you're so old 4 foot 11 and 1/2 in and 300 lb talk about hurting all the time.
Something just had to give before I die.

Hi to all .......... After this comment, probably nobody in this group will like me very much but I JUST DO NOT UNDERSTAND the purpose of the group, although if you read to the end you will hopefully be surprised at the happy ending!

[1] I've read and read many posts and comments, and my main takeaways from the hours of reading start from a page 1 article of myobesityteam.com written by Kelly Crumrin (from MyObesity) who says "The primary cause of obesity in most people is eating more calories than are used"

[2] Letter after letter talk about snacking I with mini-donuts (and smoothies) as if this will REALLY fight off putting on weight

[3] people comment by saying they fully understnd and then tell their story that they cannot help themselves. and do the same thing.

[4] Are people posting their stories because they want to know they are not alone, or do they want empathy (or sympathy)?

And much more of the same type of thing.

In my initial post some months ago I said the following, or similar

Please understand

[1] You should not waste your time by going on a diet
[2] Gaining weight is a symptom and not the cause of obesity/overweight
[3] Its not how much you eat and drink
[4] Its about what you eat and drink
[5] Its about when you eat and drink
[6] Its not your fault that your provide you with an uncontrollable craving to eat"

Reading myobesityteam.com and similar groups has made me mad at the large companies that continue to peddle their commercial diets in full knowledge that about 80% DO NOT WORK.

Its made me mad with food producers who continue to market their unhealthy sugar and additive-laden (to last longer) foods, and the soda market with their "sugar juices" and their lies of selling healthy diet sodas. There are over 200 million overweight and obese peole in the US alone. That's two out of three people you know, in your family or at work, or at the club, or at school or just walking in the street.

Its also made me very sad that obesity (and overweight) is an international problem, that from most reports has been getting worse and worse for over 50 years.

But there is some good news.

I'm retired and although I work, I still have time on my hands I shall offer to teach millions of obese and overweight people how they can lose their weight.

How? On Line

Do it like I did .......... by eating as much as they like of the right food. Never having to worry about additional weight from eating. No more diets or restrictive eating.

And I'm not pushing lettuce leaves, nuts and roots!

IT WILL BE FREE OF CHARGE

For the last 100 years the world has fogotten how to eat, spent billions and billions learning how to diet, and failing to lose weight, and then going on diet again and again and again.

So, its about knowing there is a way to easily to control weight to within the Healthy Weight Zone, and NEVER HAVING TO GO ON DIET "

Keep well

Regards

Henry

I read an article that said healthy mind, healthy body. It suggested we eat to fill something that is totally not hunger related. Now when I go to put food into my mouth, I ask myself what I am getting from this chocolate etc. What need is it filling. Answering that questions has helped me back off the junk a bit. It will be a daily struggle until food no longer controls my behaviors. When i answer the question it is often becasue Im bored, more often it is procrastination from doing a task I don't want to do. I now have a water bottle right by the fridge and am committed to drinking from it before I open the fridge.