Ideas for Those Who Overeat
Eating problems are usually just a symptom. A habit of trying to fulfill inner needs through a physical means. I suspect that you know that already. Here are some ideas that may help you to start breaking the habit. First of all, trying to keep yourself from eating causes you to focus on eating.
Instead try deciding that for a week, the only thing you are going to eat when you are alone, when no one else is eating with you, is celery. (Celery is great, they say it takes more calories to digest it than you get from it.) Be sure to have a large bowl of it all cleaned and cut. Don't beat yourself up if you forget once or twice and eat something else when you are alone.
Scientists have found that those who comfort eat are not doing it based so much on the food as doing something with their mouths. The same holds true for nail biters and pen chewers. Making celery a habit would help you lose weight because you would be replacing a lot of extra calories with celery while at the same time meeting the need to be chewing. Also, pretty soon you will start to get sick of celery and that may help to wean you off of the eating habit.
The second thing is that usually people comfort eat because they feel the need in their heart for a connection with people. When you find that you have the urge to eat, try to find someone to talk to, not necessarily about your eating. I think you might find that your urge lessens as you connect with another person.
