[Niamh.]

Actually (and I know some people are just more prone to weight gain) but I wonder in people who use food as an emotional crutch or coping mechanism, does that stem from childhood, on whether when they were upset as a child the parents used sweets or treats to "make them feel better"? From a personal point of view my parents didn't ever do that and now food is the last thing I look for if I'm upset or feeling low

[Ammi]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

Actually (and I know some people are just more prone to weight gain) but I wonder in people who use food as an emotional crutch or coping mechanism, does that stem from childhood, on whether when they were upset as a child the parents used sweets or or treats to "make them feel better"? From a personal point of view my parents didn't ever do that and now food is the last thing I look for if I'm upset or feeling low

..yeah, I’m not a ‘comfort eater’ either ...but I recall Becky Hannon from BB...her weight struggles seemed to begin when she lost a sibling...I think her brother died very young...

[Ammi]

...we had a school cook...well quite a few years ago...but she was a nightmare for giving children extra pudding treats to ‘cheer them up’ if she felt they were a bit glum...

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by Ammi

...we had a school cook...well quite a few years ago...but she was a nightmare for giving children extra pudding treats to ‘cheer them up’ if she felt they were a bit glum...

Yeah, it's just like most things, as a child you're learning to associate and if every time you feel down, fatty or sweet food is the "cure" you're going to reach for that too when you get older

[Ammi]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

Yeah, it's just like most things, as a child you're learning to associate and if every time you feel down, fatty or sweet food is the "cure" you're going to reach for that too when you get older

..yeah I think there are a lot of emotionally related comfort associations with smiles/happiness and food etc...and trying to ‘reprogram’ yourself to relating food to hunger and sustenance only, so not overeating beyond being full as well at a meal...?...there might be a little physical stuff involved as well because it’s a common thing for some to say....IT HAS to be ChOCoLATE as a specific craving as opposed to it being a more general ‘treat craving’...