| Emotional eating
A few years ago I was in a relationship where my partner suffered greatly with his relationship to food. This relationship also involved me, and I ended up putting on over 14 pounds.
There were certainly highs, he loved food, and cooking, although steadily he weight increased greatly.
And there were lows where he would beat himself up about eating a slice of bread; or for wanting an icecream..
When I did the washing I would find chocolate bar wrappers, pasty wrappers and receipts for junk food in his pockets.
I send him off with a big salad bowl, low fat crisps etc. but he started his secretive eating habits whilst at work and then still try to "diet" at home.
A lot of his issues were down to what I think would be called emotional eating. He ate, not because he was hungry, but because every emotion had an association to food:
Happiness: Celebrate with food
Sadness: Console with food
Anger: Hurt himself with food
Boredom: Pass time with food
It was a never ending cycle I could never hope to break. The relationship did melt down eventually (not totally to do with food) and I heard he put on some more weight afterwards.....whereas I lost about 14 pounds....
My question is, does anyone know anything about emotional eating or how to overcome it (without therapy). I really hope that something out there makes him feel complete and breaks this self destructive cycle..
Any websites or self help books? |