Stress-eating is really hard to deal with...When I get stressed I either eat everything in sight, or nothing at all.

You can try to keep your hands occupied... When I'm studying I love to snack (I put on 10lbs studying for my exams in January:$). I've started knitting while I study, or lifting weights or stretching while I'm studying or watching tv, so that I'm not tempted to just sit there and shovel food into my mouth. What bernst31 said is also good- keep your mouth occupied with gum, or brush your teeth or something so you don't feel like eating, or drink tea so that you feel like you're getting something.

But like you said, I think what you really need is a different outlet, because right now it sounds like you're using food to make you feel better (which I also do, so it's not a criticism). I haven't even found a way for myself to channel stress, to be honest, so I don't have any suggestions on that front for you.

I wish you all the best with this form of eating. I hope you find a way to manage it. I suffer from terrible stress too, but the stress has the extreme opposite effect on me, I just can't bring myself to eat anything. This is a problem because I don't eat at all.

Stress unfortunately is really a fact of life. For a long time I used to meditate and practice mindfulness meditation and it really helped. Yoga helps too. I know it sounds new agey, but honestly I also had horrible anxiety too and it's virtually gone. 

I also eat when I am stressed, normally snacking foods like chips or crackers. I have started drinking hot tea alot lately. I didnt even do it as an alternative but now that I thought about it, it does work. I used to be able to sit there and munch on a bag of doritos or pringles until half of them were gone (obv. before i started counting calories) .Now after dinner I make my tea and sip on it for a while. My job stresses me out and I dont stop thinking about it when I get home. Of course there is money, relationships , and other issues in life that stress me too. I would never reccomend this but after I make my tea I have a cigarette on the patio w/ my tea. I love my patio since it overlooks beautiful pine trees, a green belt, and kittens play in the grass. I live in AZ, the desert, so it is nice that my complex has an almost forest getaway. All i need are these 5-7 min. on the patio and i feel sooo much better. Maybe you should try to find your own getaway place to help you de-stress. Im lucky to have found a place in my apt.

I just made a journal entry touching on this subject. I had an awful day on friday and felt I deserved a big juicy hamburger, and mashed potatoes, and two glasses of soda.... and although at the time it was awesome, by the end of the meal I felt sick from eating so much crap and  guilty I couldn't control myself. If you figure out a way to stop doing this stuff, let me know because all my methods fly out the window the second I pass the point of no return.

i do exactly the same thing when i am stressed and once i start cannot stop! if running is already a good outlet for you, then you could try something that you can do that does not involve leaving your daughter like workout videos, the ones orientated around boxing are highly energetic and they don't involve leaving the house. it may sound stupid, but i find that celery does actually help... chewing gum, green tea etc are not satisfying to take away the stress but celery or even carrots you can really attack if that makes any sense! otherwise, just distract yourself in any way possible, watching TV, playing with your children or listening to music and actually listening to the lyrics. hope this helps!

wow julez, you have a lot of balls to juggle!

I too eat when stressed, filled with the need to comsume and when my stomach is absolutely full, it's like a shut off valve for the stress. Of course, as an emotional eater, I eat when happy, sad, bored, anxious. I eat really well when I have zero emotions though! :P

It has been a struggle for me as well to get that under control, but if you feel that you have that need to eat for non-hunger reasons, try distracting yourself. Maybe take your baby to the park if it's nice out, anything to get out of the house and away from the food and the temptation. Maybe try to find a different outlet for the stress like taking a bath, or playing loud music for a few minutes!

I know that you're a bit limited in what you can do because you have your baby with you, maybe the key is to do something that you both love together- blowing bubbles, or go to a pet store and spend some time petting kittens and puppies.

As for the bingeing, make sure that you are eating enough- fill up on lots of the right kinds of foods so that you don't get super hungry and eat a bunch of junk. Good luck :)

hey, i need the advice too...i did that today! i know exactly what you mean!! for some reason eating calms me down too. its crazy!! im a single mother of 2, and i work 2jobs, plus boyscouts, soccer, and appointments to get to each week, so i have no time for exercise also, I make it a point to get 2 days a wk, but getting that 3rd is almost impossible, so before bed i so a few reps of situps and pushups. but im having a hard time breaking the stress/emotional binges! today was a bad day for me! blah.....here to talk if need someone....

Original Post by cawilder:

Stress unfortunately is really a fact of life. For a long time I used to meditate and practice mindfulness meditation and it really helped. Yoga helps too. I know it sounds new agey, but honestly I also had horrible anxiety too and it's virtually gone.

I was going to suggest mindfulness. I did an 8 week course in it and it was really helpful. We did meditations and yoga, and each week we had a meditation to do each day and had to pick a task to do "mindfully" (like eating dinner). It was really helpful. There's plenty of stuff online and books around.

I don't have time at the moment though and like you am just eating everything in sight.