Well done to you dotdotcom. Fastinginberlin, oh how I agree with you. You’ve both bit the nail on the head really. If we only ate when we were hungry, we probably wouldn’t be overweight in the first place. Sometimes it’s just gets the better of you. Good luck with the fasting and keep us all posted on your progress.

Dotdotcom,

It has never “neutrolized” for me. I think it’s because comfort eating is so different from feeding your body to stay alive.

I have written a lot about this “problem” lately, as I very much comfort eat, have since I was a teenager. At the risk of repeating myself, and if you’re interested, look up some of my threads regarding this subject. Many added their thoughts and good advice as well.

Hi dotdotcom,

The diet itself isn’t “helping” the comfort eating. The diet works wonderfully physically. It’s the mental eating I’m struggling with lately. Although, this forum is a tremendous help!

I think you just click through “active topics” and you will see a lot of threads that deal with this issue, especially lately.

I was basically at my goal weight and wanted to loose like 3 more pounds, to give myself some wiggle room. I also am up/down 3 or so pounds. And then this mental block happened. I don’t know what it is about success, that I have to self sabotage!! VERY frustrating. Are you running into this as well?

Hi Dotdotcom
I understand exactly where you are coming from, having been a comfort eater myself. I agree with many of the comments on this thread, especially about recognising the difference between hunger and craving for sugar, but wanted to add that I have now realised that comfort eating is such a short term fix, and it actually makes you feel worse in the longer term when you put on weight and feel all those pangs of guilt about letting yourself down!
Stick with it, I have now managed to reach close to my ideal weight and have stayed put for several weeks, this strategy really does work and as you begin to see improvements motivation increases.
Good luck

I’ve definitely been a comfort eater and for me this has been a way of soothing various emotions; quelling the fire of anger. Food is my ‘go to’ when feeling rising anxiety. I know the feeling of gnawing, insatiable hunger as I’ve experienced it so many times and am open to the possibility of this arising again some time down the track. When I feel this way I can always trace it back to an unresolved emotional issue, something that has been triggered in me that is difficult to face, feel and deal with. Life brings scenarios around from time to time which trigger the hunger and I’m now in a place of trusting that I can only do the best I can at any one time. I’m accepting that I may have to fall off the horse 100 more times before I’m able to ride to my destination and I’m willing to continue anyway because it is the only way I know how to get there. I keep on keeping going because I truly do want to find my way through to the end, whatever the end, whatever the end looks like.

As far as regarding my gnawing hunger, I’m beginning to feel for the first time, that I’m finding what it means to be a good parent to myself, in a way that I never got from my own parents growing up. So, I’ve been able to slip into a new level of heartfelt consideration for me, as if I’m a child and my own mother at the same time. Making choices out of heartfelt consideration for this deep, vulnerable, being inside fills that gnawing hunger because somehow I sense/feel/know that at last everything will be okay, relieved all is well, no matter what. No matter how many times I fall off the horse, I’m there to pick myself up and help myself back on the saddle.