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I've always been an emotional/stress eater and caring for my 86 year old husband with dementia is becoming a nightmare. I make it okay through the day but in the afternoon all thunderation breaks loose and I'll eat anything that doesn't eat me first. Just wondering if anyone else has this problem and what they do about it. Thanks.

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Yeah, compulsions take over.
Best thing for the food drive is to drink a big old glass of water soon as it hits. Once your mouth starts thinking about what there is to eat, or what you should GET to eat drink down a big glass of water.

Filling up the stomach briefly is going to kind of cut the drive down momentarily. Much in the same way you don't want to go shopping when you are hungry but rather when you are "full".

Try to find something else that can be a diversion. I love podcasts to divert my mind from the cycles it likes to whirl round in.

I wish you good luck. Try to keep full with any good for you, low cal thing you can find. Kiefer will fill you, when flavored is sweet, and will build a healthy gut genome that won't be doing sugar and salt triggers all the time.

Good luck.
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Reply to AlvaDeer
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When I start to feel food cravings due to stress I reach for the chilled cut fresh watermelon in the fridge. Sooooo goood. You can binge on it and it's good for you!
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Reply to LostinPlace
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Don't buy junk food or keep it in the house. That won't prevent you from eating what IS in the house, but at least it won't be junk food.
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Reply to lealonnie1
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I am a chocoholic stress eater. I gained so much weight as I dealt with my mother. (she is now in care)

I found going cold cold turkey made things worse. But strong, rich chocolate satisfied me with less.

Try portioning your treats. “I got through this, so it is treat time.” Be mindful of when, why and how much you’re eating.

I am also very music oriented and found I could sing and (badly) dance away some stress. I love to connect with nature (I’m fortunate to live in the woods) but often find I have to first burn off my excess emotional energy in a physical way before the inner and outer me can truly decompress.

What else (besides food) helps heal your wounds? Or feels like a reward? Good luck!
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Reply to Anabanana
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When we all became home bound thanks to Covid I immediately gained 8 lbs. I decided to try the Noom app and was able to lose 30 lbs ( but I was playing tennis outside & doing yard work).

There are so many reasons why we over eat and Noom helps you figure this out & come up with solutions. You won’t lose weight unless you also exercise. I wish you success in taking the best of care of yourself.
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Reply to Geaton777
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I've always been a stress eater. Now at 68yrs old I'm 24/7 caregiver of my 96yr old Dad who has LB Dementia, and my husband past away last year as well. So needless to say I needed an outlet for all this stress - eating candy was my #1 resource - So, If I didn't want to end up obese and sick - and God forbid my two sons would be stuck taking care of my sorry self - I'd better do something about it quick. So I took to meditation and IF. So now, I'm happy to say that I'm down 14lbs - and eating healthy and walking (loops around the inside of the house - 10K steps minimum. I think my biggest motivating factor was that I don't want my sons burdened with caring for me. I've cared for my family members all my adult life - 1st Grandmother, then Mom, now Dad. Meditation really helped me calm those stress eating urges, and also, helps when I'm having an exceptionally trying day with Dad as well. It's a journey for sure. Good luck!
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Reply to Mamacrow
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I've always been a stress eater as well. I definitely put on some weight while I was caring for my late husband, but thankfully I've been able to take the majority of it off, and now try my hardest to keep stress out of my life.
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Reply to funkygrandma59
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Yeah, these kind of things are problems. THis is why there are stories of caregivers ending up more unhealthy than the person they are caring for, if it goes on long enough
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Reply to strugglinson
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I have the opposite issue, but I've learned though the years and have my stress go to foods that I can get down, so I don't loose weight.

That's not easy either.
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Reply to Anxietynacy
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I absolutely have that problem. I’m a stress eater and binge eater and afternoons are the worst! My husband would sleep 24/7 except to eat, if I’d let him.

I retired in November 2020 for two reasons - my age (I am now 76) but primarily because my husband needed me. (He has had two strokes and has cognitive, balance and “bathroom” issues.) When I retired, I started dieting (1500 calories a day and a lot of prayer) and lost 75 lbs., but I struggle every day to keep it off.

I stay busy in the mornings, but it’s just four walls in the afternoon. I’m an extrovert, and I’d love to work part-time, but I can’t leave him that long since he’s a fall risk. I do volunteer and help with the religious newspaper where I retired as editor on Monday and Tuesday, and he goes to VA Day Care from 9-2 on Fridays, so all that helps. But I’d sure appreciate suggestions, too!
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Reply to RDianeSpriggs
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I have the same problem. I think women often turn to food; men to alcohol.

The thing is, we do it because it feels good (while you’re eating). So if you take away that comfort, what’s left? One needs a replacement-comforting-thing.

I wish us all success in stopping to stress eat, trying to use food as a painkiller against stress, sadness, boredom…

I hope we find a better alternative.
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Reply to ventingisback
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Just look on the bright side. Late afternoon is when my urge for red wine kicks in. That’s even worse for the body! My self-help mechanism is not to have any in the house. DH hides it in his shed. Yours might be to do the same for ‘munchies’ – or to keep them in the freezer.
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Reply to MargaretMcKen
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