Wellness and Nutrition

I fall into the Binge (have to stay completely away from certain foods) and the Mood eater (the extrovert, overeats when strong emotions are present). I'm glad you're reading and recognizing where your eating style is. Once we understand ourselves better then we can find direct ways to help ourselves. More on this later.

Cricket, I really meant to say I'm a Stress Eater, but I can definitely relate to the self esteem eater.

Hey Cricket,
I see myself in each of these categories, but the one I scored highest in is the Self Esteem eater. Since I've become a caregiver food has become even more of a companion than ever before. For example, I just ate dinner and I'm sitting here watching TV with mom. Well mom has taken her requip for the night and has started what I call her "crazies". I am having an incredibly strong feeling to go eat more dinner. I know I'm looking for comfort. Food is my tranquilizer.

Diane, it's common for people to have more than one type of emotional eating. I do to. If you answers put you in several category's, then emotional eating is having a huge influence on you. That is okay it is who you are and who you've had to be to cope with things you've had to deal with in your life. I would suggest reading all the comments that were posted and I can share more info. with you later. I don't want to overwhelm you.

One thing to remember is to accept and love yourself, flaws and all because that is the best way to progress. Beating ourselves up doesn't do anything but make us want to run for more ice cream, etc. right? It's counter productive. My advice to all of us is for right now take in knowledge about this info. and try to reflect on where it applies to ourselves because that is the first step and often the hardest one because many of us are afraid to see the truth because then we feel we have to act. If we find ourselves eating in the wrong way or wrong foods just observe without criticism and reassure ourselves that this is a path and process. Emotions are what makes us "act or move" it's not something to be taken lightly or to rush.

Why I am so passionate about this;
I have to be honest with you all and say that I have struggled with emotional eating for many years, about the last 10 yrs I began to struggle with a lot of weight gain. A little over a year ago I started on my quest to get to the root cause of my weight issues and have studied as much as I could get my hands on. As a result of this I was able to lose over 44 lbs and feel healthier and happier as a result. I still have more weight to lose and I know I will because I am on the right path to healing my weight issues. I didn't have to go on any extreme diet to do this. I gradually made positive loving changes in my food choices because I was willing to get in touch with my feelings. I have always been an extrovert where I'm taking care of everyone elses needs to the neglect of my own. This is why my passion is so focused on the emotions and real causes of our appetites and cravings. I have concluded that the majority of us who are dieters or health conscience overweight individuals have an incredible amount of knowledge on nutrition and exercise, that's not the problem. The problem is that we want to eat, were hungry, we crave foods and the underlying reasons are emotions, how we deal or ignore what we are really feeling because of fear, anger, tension and shame. This has been my experience and I come from a heart full of good intentions for myself and others as I share information here.

Hi cricket,
First, thank you so much got starting this thread. Some of us have forgotten or put aside much of our nutritional knowledge due to stress and having a great need for comfort that we are not getting from others, as well as our feelings of being over worked, abused, and in pain. so, the first thing some of us do is turn to our friend, junk food, or too many simple carbs.
I am going to read all the categories later in my laptop, but wanted to check in so I get all notifications. Diane-- I'm with you, girlfriend. Sorry about my unhealthy suggestion last night;( we will do the healthy thing together.
Lastly, I am so happy to know Lilliput is contributing to the nutritional thread; I have never read one of her posts that was not brilliant and helpful. Thank you both so much for getting this started. Healthy Hugs, Christina

Cricket,
What if you score high in all areas? My highest was stress eater, but I had 3 or more on all the areas.

Final comments on this information...
All five styles of emotional eating can employ food-craving interpretation as a means of reducing or eliminating intrusive desires to overeat. The more you understand about yourself, the more you’re able to work with—instead of against—yourself. There’s no need to fight yourself; that’s an unloving thing to do that will only create depression and internal resistance. Instead, move toward gently understanding and accepting yourself. As I wrote in Losing Your Pounds of Pain: Breaking the Link Between Abuse, Stress, and Overeating, trying to sublimate an emotion is like trying to ignore a child who desperately wants your attention. The child just screams louder and more urgently until the adult finally acknowledges him or her. Your emotions are just like that child. If you nurture and pay attention to them, they won’t need to scream at you in the form of an overly active appetite. So, really listen to your food cravings—they are part of your inner voice, and provide valuable information!

Number 4 is posted already on the Stress eater above.

5. The Snowball Effect Eater—Think of a snowball rolling down a mountain, gaining momentum and size, and you’ll have an idea of the Snowball Effect Eater’s style. This person’s determination to stick with a healthful eating and exercise program vacillates tremendously. Brenda’s story typifies the struggle of a Snowball Effect Eater. Last December, Brenda was horrified when she saw a Polaroid picture of herself next to the Christmas tree. “Oh my gosh! Look how fat I look!” she exclaimed, and immediately made a New Year’s resolution to lose weight. Her motivation to eat light was high after the holidays, so Brenda’s dinner meals consisted of skinless chicken breasts, salads with fat-free dressing, and steamed rice. She lost six pounds in just a few weeks. Then, in mid-January, her husband decided to throw a Super Bowl party. Brenda volunteered to plan the snack menu. While preparing the pizza, chip dips, and other munchies, Brenda felt obligated as hostess to taste-test all the foods. After the Super Bowl, Brenda’s incentive to diet decreased. She’d tasted those high-fat foods, and her mouth ached for more. So, her skinless chicken breast meal was now a fried half-of-a-chicken, complete with skin. Her fat-free salad now consisted of a small serving of lettuce, topped with huge portions of shredded cheese, bacon bits, croutons, and blue cheese dressing. She replaced the steamed rice with a huge baked potato, complete with butter and sour cream. In Brenda’s mind, she was still eating the basic “diet dinner menu” of chicken, salad, and a complex carbohydrate. She quit caring whether or not she lost weight, and barely noticed when she regained the six pounds. Snowball Effect Eaters usually exhibit inconsistent motivation levels because their weight-loss efforts are externally motivated. Like Brenda, they declare themselves to be on a diet in response to some outer stimulus, such as a photograph, a spouse’s comment, or too-tight jeans. However, these external sources of motivation just can’t provide the steady stream of inspiration necessary for permanent changes in eating behavior. Internal motivation is necessary, with a focus on: how much energy we have when we eat healthful foods, how great it feels to have toned muscles, how exercise eases our tension and worries, how treating our bodies with respect leads to higher self-regard, and the fact that the only opinion that matters, as far as our weight is concerned, is our own. Brenda’s black-and-white approach to weight loss also set her up for fluctuations both in her weight and in her motivation. Instead of saying, “Either I eat like a pauper, or I eat like a pig,” Brenda could take a more conservative approach. Yes, it takes more time to lose weight using a moderate rather than a radical diet, but in the long run, we won’t get those sharp swings in weight. So, instead of forcing ourselves to eat a bland, fat-free diet, it’s more realistic to find a flavorful, low-fat menu that satisfies the taste buds as well as our nutritional requirements. Snowball Effect Eaters benefit from food-craving interpretation because it keeps them focused on internal motivations for eating. Instead of viewing their food cravings as a sign of, “What’s the use? I’m hungry, so I’ll just abandon this stupid diet,” they are more able to understand the underlying emotional significance of their cravings.

3. The Self-Esteem Eater—This is someone who uses food as a friend, a companion, and for entertainment. The Self-Esteem Eater has difficulties in interpersonal relationships. Often, Self-Esteem Eaters relate better to food, books, animals, and movies than they do to other people. They feel misunderstood and have been hurt by people who rejected or abandoned them. Many Self-Esteem Eaters are survivors of emotional, physical, or sexual abuse, and they learned in early childhood to distrust others. Much of the Self-Esteem Eaters’ struggle with food and weight stems from three issues:
— They can’t bear the thought of losing their closest friend: food. The thought of giving up the overeating of ice cream, cookies, or cheeseburgers makes them feel cold and vulnerable. If they aren’t able to use food for comfort, companionship, and solace, who or what can they turn to?
— They have little confidence in their ability to lead a healthful lifestyle. The Self-Esteem Eater is usually well read and informed about the importance of healthful eating and exercise. Their library may be stocked with health books. Yet they don’t believe that they have the stamina or patience to consistently exercise. So they don’t even try.
— They beat themselves up by going on eating binges. Self-Esteem Eaters struggle with the fourth FATS feeling: Shame. They question their self-worth, and deep down they wonder if something is wrong with them. During these times, they punish themselves by eating to the point where their stomach hurts. Self-Esteem Eaters don’t believe that they deserve the benefits of having a fit and healthy body. Self-Esteem Eaters benefit more from appropriate psychotherapy than from any particular style of eating. This is not to imply that something is wrong with Self-Esteem Eaters; rather, they just have the most to gain from this type of treatment. Therapy will most likely be the first experience they have being emotionally vulnerable in front of another human being—that is, a skilled therapist. But when Self-Esteem Eaters find that the therapist doesn’t reject them for being who they are, they will be able to connect with other people in their life. They can then develop friendships with people, and stop relying on food for companionship and comfort. Self-Esteem Eaters also benefit from food-craving interpretation as a way of becoming more honest with themselves. When they face the truth behind the meaning of their food cravings, it’s a first step toward easing the loneliness that haunts them. Self-honesty always increases one’s self-esteem, and food-craving interpretation is a productive way of honestly coming to terms with parts of ourselves we may be afraid of facing.

1. The Binge Eater—This is a very black-and-white eating style—you either are a Binge Eater or you’re not. Those who are Binge Eaters will instantly recognize this description. Those who aren’t Binge Eaters will think this is an outlandish description. Certain foods trigger overeating in Binge Eaters. Those foods are often referred to as “binge foods.” Binge foods commonly are made from refined white flour or sugar—foods such as sweets, pastas, and breads. Different theories have tried to explain the binge-food phenomenon. Some experts believe Binge Eaters become anxious as a result of blood sugar fluctuations triggered by eating high-glucose foods. This anxiety leads to a cycle of binge-eating to relieve the condition. Many Binge Eaters find that the only way to keep their appetite under control is by avoiding their binge food altogether. This is also a useful therapeutic approach, because often the binge food keeps a lid on the person’s underlying emotional issues. When the binge food is removed from their availability, the emotions are free to come forward for resolution. Binge Eaters benefit from interpreting their cravings for the binge food, using the methods in this book.

2. The Mood Eater—This is a person who overeats in response to strong emotions. Often, the Mood Eater is an exquisitely sensitive individual who is very
compassionate and empathetic with respect to other people. Mood Eaters are sensitive to other people’s feelings and intuitively know when something is troubling another person. Often, the Mood Eater is employed in a helping profession, such as teaching, counseling, or medicine. Mood Eaters are so engulfed by the emotions that they’ve absorbed from other people that their own feelings are sublimated or ignored. They may also feel overwhelmed by the prospect of adding their own strong emotions onto their already-full plate. So they eat in order to manage their emotional capacity. Although Mood Eaters are highly capable caretakers of others, they sometimes neglect themselves altogether. Sometimes, this realization upsets Mood Eaters, as they realize that they are doing all the work, and no one is attending to their needs. At those times, The Mood Eater feels unappreciated and resentful. They take out their frustration in the best way they know how—by eating. Mood Eaters benefit by the methods outlined in the chapter on Extroverts (Chapter 7). Since Mood Eaters are externally oriented—focusing more on other people than on themselves—they can tune into their own feelings and become more inner-directed by interpreting their food cravings as they arise.

Scoring: Add up the “true” answers you gave for the preceding questions, and read the interpretations corresponding to your answers:

Note: There are no right or wrong answers to this quiz. It is designed to help you better understand your eating style. Understanding yourself is always an important step in making desired behavior changes. Many people find that they exhibit more than one Emotional Eating Style; some people exhibit all five styles. After scoring your quiz, read the information related to every emotional eating style relevant to you.

If you answered “True” to 3 or more of Questions 1 through 5, you are a “Binge Eater.”

If you answered “True” to 3 or more of Questions 6 through 10, you are a “Mood Eater.”

If you answered “True” to 3 or more of Questions 11 through 15, you are a “Self-Esteem Eater.”

If you answered “True” to 3 or more of Questions 16 through 20, you are a “Stress Eater.”

If you answered “True” to 3 or more of Questions 21 through 25, you are a “Snowball Effect Eater.”

more information on each in the next post..

Currently I'm on the topic of emotional eating so I want to share information about this and the book I'm reading (constant craving) states that there are 5 different types of emotional eating patterns and offers a quiz to help us determine what type or even types we are. To benefit from doing the test it is important to answer true or false honestly. Usually that means to go with the first answer that we hear and not to try to over analyze or say what we want but what actually is true. I will post the test now..

QUIZ: WHAT’S YOUR EATING STYLE? Answer True of False

1. I tend to overeat one or two certain types of food.
2. Once I have one bite of a food such as a certain type of dessert, dairy product, baked good, or salty junk food, my eating habits and appetite go out of control.
3. I sometimes worry—often without justification—that I won’t get enough to eat.
4. I crave certain flavors or types of foods, and sometimes the only way to make the cravings go away is to eat whatever I have the desire for.
5. I have gone to extreme lengths (e.g., driven several miles out of my way; spent excessive money, etc.) to get the food I’m craving.
6. I only overeat when I’m feeling a strong emotion, such as anger or depression.
7. Right after work, I head straight for food.
8. I tend to eat whenever I’m bored.
9. Sometimes, out of the blue, I’ll find that I am incredibly hungry.
10. I feel uncomfortable openly displaying or talking about my feelings.
11. I wish I were a more confident and strong person.
12. Just when I lose enough weight to start receiving compliments or admiring glances, I tend to start putting the weight back on again.
13. For the most part, I want to lose weight to please my spouse, parent, lover, or some other person.
14. I’m almost to the point where I’ve given up hope that I’ll ever lose my excess weight; maybe I’m meant to be overweight.
15. My weight makes me feel bad about myself, and when I gain weight, I feel like a failure.
16. I never seem to have enough time to eat right or exercise.
17. I’m so busy that some days I wonder if I’ll drop from exhaustion.
18. I seem to be working harder these days and getting less accomplished.
19. The only way I can unwind most of the time is when I’m eating.
20. Food is a great pick-me-up when I’m feeling drained but feel that I need to keep going.
21. My weight changes during the seasons; I’m one weight in the summer and a different weight during the winter.
22. Eating is one of the few pleasures left in my life.
23. Sometimes when I’m lonely, I’ll nibble on whatever’s handy.
24. Usually when I diet, I’ll eventually stop caring whether I lose weight or not. That’s when I return to overeating.
25. I often go back for second or third helpings of “diet,” low-fat, or low-calorie foods.

results in the next post..

Yes Lilli, their are some great suggestions for the stress eater.

4. The Stress Eater—This person overeats in response to feeling: Tension. I’ve found that two life areas trigger Stress Eating: unhappiness with one’s work life, and dissatisfaction with one’s love life. Both life areas are difficult to change, and usually take time and effort to correct. Because we can’t just snap our fingers and “fix” the love or work life, we overeat to ease the tension. Stress Eaters usually have a wide range of food cravings, all intuitively chosen to ease their tension and frustration. They crave alcohol to manage their ever-taut nerves, coffee and cola to pump up their enthusiasm and energy, chocolate to ease their love-life disappointments, breads and dairy products to calm themselves down, and crunchy snack foods to control their anger. Food-craving interpretation is one way of accessing the underlying sources of frustration so that they may be dealt with head-on.

I also encourage Stress Eaters to add four essential ingredients to their life, which help with tension much more effectively than do foods or beverages:

a. Exercise. Please don’t assume that I’m asking you to add one more responsibility to your already-full plate of things to do. I realize that it’s a hassle to exercise. Still, exercise is one of the easiest ways to feel better, reduce stress, get more energy, control anger, and reduce the appetite. The best motivational tool I’ve ever found with respect to exercise is to develop a focused mindset that “exercise is a non-optional activity.” Put exercise into the same category as your daily shower, and see it as something that you simply need to do. No ifs, ands, or buts!
b. Fun and Recreation. The number-one source of resentment is the feeling that everybody else gets to relax and have fun, while we’re left with all the chores and responsibility. It’s a powerful residual emotion left over from childhood. Many people feel that fun is a waste of time or a sign of weakness. Yet, fun—like exercise—is a necessity, not a luxury. Would you like to feel as if you have two extra hours in the day? You’ll get that feeling when you incorporate small daily doses of fun into your life. Fun recharges the soul and the spirit, giving you the energy and enthusiasm necessary to meet your responsibilities. Fun doesn’t have to cost anything or take more than 10 or 15 minutes. The important thing is for you to give yourself permission to relax and enjoy yourself every day.
c. Time Outdoors. Stress Eaters usually lead whirlwind lifestyles. They’re running at a dead heat from the moment they wake up until the time they go to bed at night. This harried pace leaves little time for noticing the simple and beautiful things in everyday life. Here’s an instant stress-buster, kind of a game you can play with yourself on a daily basis: When you are driving home from work or during your lunch hour, notice three things in nature. This could be a cloud, the sound of a bird singing, the reflection on a puddle of water, or the colors in a sunset. If you really want to ease your tension, take a walk during your lunch hour or eat lunch outside (near grass or trees). Being in close proximity to nature is instantly stress-reducing. It calms our nerves, soothes our soul, and definitely slows us down. I suppose that’s where the phrase, “Stop and smell the roses” came from.
d. Spirituality. When your heart feels full of love and gratitude, very few things can get on your nerves. People who are spiritual or religious are usually less vulnerable to earthly stressors, because they believe that everything will turn out for the best. Instead of sweating out the picayune details of everyday life, they “let go” and trust. This doesn’t mean that they blindly accept the dictates of others. Spiritually guided persons are among some of the world’s most successful individuals. All four stress-reducing elements—exercise, having fun, spending time outdoors, and spirituality—can be combined effectively. For example, any type of outdoor activity, blended with meditation or prayer, will create an incredible boost of positive feelings and energy. And when you feel great, you won’t crave food as much.

Why do so many of us crave Chocolate? Here is some though provoking information on the subject from the book "Constant Cravings"

Chocoholism is a cry for love, intimacy, and romance. It is the perfect antidepressant for the lovesick. Just look at the melting pot of feel-good properties in chocolate: — The high-fat content soothes feelings of emptiness, insecurity, or loneliness. — Its high-carbohydrate content triggers production of the brain’s feel-good chemical, serotonin. — It also contains a serotonin-like substance called diphenylamine, which appears to promote feelings of calm and serenity. — The stimulants in chocolate—PEA, theobromine, tyramine, and caffeine—are instant pick-me-ups. — Chocolate’s appeal may be due, in part, to having a flavor that equally combines sweet, salty, bitter, and sour tastes in a perfect balance. — Pyrazine, a chemical that is found in the odor of chocolate, triggers the pleasure center in the brain.2 — The texture can be creamy if you need comfort, or crunchy if you’re angry over your love life.

Virtue, Doreen (2011-10-15). Constant Craving: What Your Food Cravings Mean and How to Overcome Them (Kindle Locations 2172-2183). Hay House. Kindle Edition.

Maintaining a healthy weight is one of my main goals right now....emphasis on the healthy part. I would like to lose weight, but I really want the tools to not repeat the pattern and gain it back. So I am excited to hear about which interventions the book offers.

I am definitely a stress overeater...otherwise, I do not have problems with food or weight. I have made changes in my diet which are going well. However, I have no desire to start a regular exercise program. Walking the dog has helped...he loves to walk...but I really need to do something on a regular basis and stick with it. Do they have any suggestions?

Hi Lilli, I enjoyed that post very much and I'm happy that you share my enthusiasm for this topic.

I mentioned earlier today on the Grossed Out thread that I'm currently reading the book "Constant Cravings: What you're food cravings mean and how to overcome them" that was just released a couple of weeks ago. As I continue reading this book that I am totally fascinated with I will post some of the answers it gives to many of our questions.

Excellent idea...and long overdue. I really appreciate so many of our knowledgeable forum members who have shared their experiences and successes with naturopathic remedies, and/or the nutritional, dietary, or lifestyle changes they have made. It has been so helpful to me as I try to get healthier and switch my thinking from a "curative" approach to a "preventative" one.

For my first contribution, I am copying my post from the GO thread. These are two articles I came across recently:

A joint study between Johns Hopkins Univ. and Cedars-Sinai Hospital found that "politeness" is a critical trait in choosing a doctor...and not because they are more pleasant to talk to. They found that the patients of polite doctors and surgeons had more successful outcomes and survived surgeries more frequently than those of grumpy docs. The study found that other healthcare providers who have to deal with the doctors (such as pharmacists, nurses, hospice workers, etc.) would rather work with someone who is friendly because they feel more free to make suggestions or to question orders to ensure no mistakes are made.

The second article was about research from the Louisiana State Univ. It links Parkinson's Disease to the same bacteria that produces ulcers.

It is called H.pylori. The bacteria produces toxins that damage nerve cells.

Preventative measures included: increasing vitamin C intake, taking mastic gum supplements that destroy up to 90 percent of H.pylori, eating dried cranberries and yogurt (that has natural probiotics), and cooking chicken thouroughly.

Interesting research for those of us who have family members with this illness and may be prone to it ourselves.

Cricket: thanks for creating this discussion. I hope it will be a thread where we can share nutritional/lifestyle/naturopathic ideas freely and hope all who join in will be respectful of philosophies that may be different from what we are used to.

Lilli