Emotional Eating

Is anyone else an emotional eater? I'm a bit of an emotional eater and I am really struggling at the moment with it. I could do with losing a few kilos but my weight isn't really the issue. Its my lack of control with food. And I want to be able to set a good example for my son as he grows up.

So has anyone got any tips/suggestions/experiences about emotional eating? I have struggled for most of my life with my relationship with food and really would like to make some positive changes. Things have gotten worse since I have become a SAHM since I have access to food anytime I like and I find that when I am bored I end up in the kitchen, even when I am not hungry.

Also need some healthy lunch ideas? I am so over eating the same things and I eat too many sugary things during the day which is not good and its not something that I want my son to eventually do!

I think I started off an emotional eater & then it turned into habit. I also worked nights for a few yrs which got me into really bad habits.

I got out of it when I got with DH but he is a bit of a foodie so I got addicted to a lot of stuff I would not of normally.

I think if you are an emotional eater you need to identify why that is & try & put something else in place like Jacobsmumma said a hobby.

I now find I absent-mindlessly snack...kids plates....getting stuff for kids...& so on.

I am starting a food dairy next week with my "new start" & was told to "write before you bite"...guilt is a wonderful thing...sometimes

yep same here find it hard but i will win

Me too! It's my biggest struggle. Especially with the girls going through a bad case of terrible twos they have me running to the pantry every 5mins lol. At the moment I'm trying to change my eating habits. I'm not on a diet (although I could stand to lose 10kg) but I want to change my lifestyle. I'm like you I don't want my kids to pick up my habits. So I am eating healthy (and introducing breakfast lol) and makng sure I get a 30min run in at least 5 times a week or if I can't run I do an hour or more of walking.
And if I get stressed I have a small container of chocolate gelato which is a low fat and incredibly delicious version of icecream in the freezer. I have about 5 teaspoons then put it back and that usually does the trick. The real trick is stopping after 5 and only using it in times of real stress.

I am totally amazed at how much healthier & more upbeat I feel after only a few weeks of this. But I'm actually enjoying the exersize as it gets me out of the house with my Ipod and when I get home around 6.30pm I feel so energized and happy I don't feel like eating. So that's my best tips, exersize after dinner and keeping gelato on hand for times of stress :)