So it turns out I haven't beaten the emotional eating page 3

[Jena]

I have allowed myself "treats" here and there also. Then the next day all I want is more!! I hate it. I hate the way I feel when I eat grains and sugar. I hate that I am eating something that is not giving me any nutrition. As someone who is also a foodie, I know how hard it is. I am not looking forward to the holidays! Will I make cookies to give to people like usual? Will I eat any? I don't know. I think that is just something I have to give up. It is very addictive and it isn't giving me the "happiness" that I am looking for anyway. It gives me nothing but guilt. I don't know what to suggest, but I know the only thing that works for me is to simply keep the stuff out of the house! I have been trying to focus on being a primal foodie now, lol. Making really great snacks and meals that are good for me. I had friends over for dinner the other night and served guacamole with bell pepper slices instead of chips and primal taco salads! Well okay we had some wine too, but ya gotta live good luck, feel free to message me anytime for a pep talk or a slap in the face

[sakura_girl]

I think part of the reason you see cookies and such as so hard to resist is because you totally associate it with reward. Why not try associate grass-fed beef and vegetables cooked in butter with reward? It is totally delicious and good for you...

I know it's hard to change your way of thinking, but once you get the fact that cookies do not really taste *that* good and make you feel like shit, they'll be much easier to avoid.

[jammies]

I think you have gotten a lot of great suggestions already I have a lot of your issues - food is my comfort when I am stressed, sick, or overtaxed. I am much, much better about it since going primal, but I do still sometimes over do it.

One thing that really helps me get back on track is to do a little proactive eating. Even if I am not hungry I will have a big protein and fat filled breakfast and lunch for a few days in a row - it really does help calm things down. I also have slowly retrained my brain. If I was stressed or tired I would think "Oh - you deserve a cookie". Now I say - "you deserve to feel great". It helps. Sometimes

I know you mentioned that you don't think you have any deficiencies, but I find focusing on "deep nutrition" can actually be helpful. Even eating a primal diet, you can be left with some deficiencies if you just eat muscle meat. Some of the best things to add in

- homemade bone stocks (homemade chicken and sweet potato soup with grassfed butter is amazing for breakfast)
- bone marrow (great for the brain!)
- liver (nothing compares to liver for nutrition)
-oysters
- brazil nuts (just a few a day)
-sea vegetables.

Also, making sure your vitamin D3 levels are in the upper half of normal can really help.

[AMonkey]

I find this mindset hard to understand because I never buy items like cookies, or the ingredients needed to bake them, I can understand a bit more if somebody left a jar of cookies in front of your face though.

So can't you just stop yourself there, at the supermarket isle, when you are looking at the cookies and such foods?

[cookiemonster]

I think I heard Robert Lustig in an interview that it takes an average of FIVE years to kick a sugar addiction. Lets face it -living a modern western world over 95% of us are in a degree sugar addicts.
Cookies, brownies, cakes, pies are freaking delicious!!! at least to me!
What do I do to combat this sometimes craving is a lot of what people have written but I'll enumerate my list

1. I don't buy at the grocery store because I am an addict. A full package of Oreos may last two days, a pint of Ben Jerrys-I'm amazed how people cannot eat the whole pint once they get started.
2. Birthdays, celebrations, special occasions-I get my fill because I don't have to take it home and I have to freaking enjoy chocolate-milk or dark and some baked goods now and then.
3. Primal/paleo guidelines of nutrition and diet are just so satisfying and has been so successful for the first time in my life-there is no way for the rest of my life you can convince me this is not the way to go so that gives me motivation and discipline to at times to not eat certain things when I'm out, at work, or in eating "situations" without a paleo line up.
4. Its "sugar crack" -I've convinced myself so I know highly pleasurable but highly addictive and for me highly detrimental. This gives me an impetus to discipline myself more.
5. AND RELAX-PERSPECTIVE-They are sweets -enjoy them once and a while -don't beat up yourself because of your body and brain cravings. Eat a cookie -don't feel guilty and have some steak and eggs the next day, a big salad, and some sardines. Think about it -YOU ATE SOME COOKIES and kids in a hospital right now have maybe a week or two to live!!!! WHO IS WORSE OFF?
6. All this support and info as Bush would say on the internets is like having all those Jenny Craigs and Weigh Watching support groups on line for FREE. Even better you start hooking up with people in person who share your ups and downs with the guidelines without standing up in circle confessing to others that you ate two cookies last night!

ENJOY YOUR LIFE, ENJOY PALEO/PRIMAL, ENJOY SWEETS, ENJOY CARBS, ENJOY ALCOHOL, ENJOY YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS, and ENJOY GETTING FRUSTRATED AND GETTING DOWN ON YOURSELF AS WELL

Peace

[Comma]

I think sugar addiction and emotional eating are two different things that have to be tackled in different ways.

Anyways.

It is true that we all have other stuff going on, and that nutrition is only part of the story, so ya know? Big slap on the shoulder to all of us for trying so hard. We'll do just fine, never mind it's not perfect. Just keep at it with whatever corner of the brain you got available.

[Leida]

I love baking myself, but over time I stopped missing it, moving towards cooking other foods. I like smoothies though, making them with cranberries & other berries. Sometimes I just have fruit & smoothie for supper. Also, I find that adding more carbs & dairy helps with not wanting treats, but eating actual food instead. But that's me 5HTP seem to help me as well, as I do not have uncontrolled sugar binges any more. Things actually taste too sweet for me now, though I have a candy or a bit of ice-cream now and then.

One time when I struggle with sweet cravings is when I cook supper, because sweets and fruit makes such an easy snack (and bread for that matter), but I trained myself to chop up some ham or cheese really fine or have a tbsp or so of peanut butter or greek yogurt with a fork and stretch those tiny bites throughout cooking process and while waiting on supper. I also stretch out postprandial tea with the same for as long as I can. Sometimes I have a suck-on candy

But overall yeah, retraining yourself for savories instead of sweets as reward treats is a good idea if sugar is your main problem.

[Tercio]

I haven't seen a slap across the face in this thread so far just a lot of wallowing in self-pity . So how about growing up and taking some personal responsibility. All of our lives can be hard, we all have problems from time to time, we are all sometimes not in control of things that may happen to us but the one thing we are in control of is ourselves. Decide what it is you want and act. I know I'm a carb addict. If I eat too many I can't stop eating more. If you learn that you cannot trust yourself to manage "treats" then cut them out. Just stop. That's what led to my health problems and excess weight. I know that, so I don't eat any. Period. All the time. So grow up and be in charge. You want a treat, go watch the sunset.

Tercio

[quelsen]

Ok after reading all of this i can see that i just dont get using food to satisfy any feeling at all.

so in order to not be the hypocrite that i feel some people are who have never been "broken" I will shut up now.

[cookiemonster]

Nevertheless, I do think I remember an episode on TV when Bruce Banner (Bill Bixby) ate some oreos and turned into the Hulk and then the Hulk was tricked into eating soy and turned back! That was an episode right??? Maybe I'm high from sugar or THC or kat or bath salts or whatever
BTW I think the episode was sponsored by Oreos and the Soy council!
Peace