OMG a topic that everone one of us knows TOO WELL! (Or they are lying :-) I for one am a former CEO, president, and major shareholder of the closet eaters club! How the food learns to call your name when no one is around still amazes me, and I haven't figured out how to stop it from calling! I have sucessfully resigned for the club! Lots of great suggestions below for sure, but the key I think is you have to figure what works for you! I had to use a multi-layered approach. 1) Don't keep any trouble food in the house - EVER! (Having kids, if they want something we can't have in the house, we will take them for the "treat" but still never have it in the house!) 2) Have an emergency "break glass and eat" food designated in your house and more importantly in your mind! (The Roush Team below states this exactly, for them it is Jello!) For me it is carrots. I always have bags of the pre-peeled and cleaned baby carrots in the fridge. I can wolf a bag and not be in any trouble at all. My jaw will also be exhausted so I couldn't eat more of any thing I had to chew! 3) Go to BED! Sleep is so precious! If I'm up and hungry, and the food starts calling...I go to bed and sleep! So what it's 9PM and I'll get more tha 8 hours sleep! That is a good thing!

 

Experiment and find what works! Good Luck! -Todd

UH huh I can relate because I have the same exact problem. I think I agree with Shanz about the water. I KNOW that water will make you feel full and sometimes make you feel a lil sick to your stomach if you drink a great deal of it. Therefore, it has to lesson the impact of our almighty closet binges. I really haven't tried it although I know I should have tried it by now. That's because I haven't given the 120% that I should have been giving all along. I say, for all of us closet bingers out there....LETS DRINK WATER BEFORE WE EAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

When I eat beyond my hunger or even beyond my craving for something then I know for me that I am attempting to fill a void or attempting to quell a fear or stress.  When you find yourself doing the excessive eating when you KNOW it is not about the food really ask yourself what is going on.  Examine your heart and your mind and face what it is you are afraid of (sometimes it is the fear of being the real you).  Also, to lessen the impact of all that eating force yourself to drink two bottles of water before you eat the thing that is tempting you (if you know you are going to do the eating anyway) because at least you will be too full to do as much damage.  It is all about progression. You will get there.  Just by posting this and asking for help you are getting closer to getting to the root of this problem !! Hugs !

You know, I find that I'm definately a closet eater.  And I tend to binge.  One of the only things that helps me, and only MOST times, not every time, is keeping sugar free jello in the house.  I buy it already premade in the little cups.  And I top it with a little fat-free whipped topping.  And if I feel I must binge, I try to eat my healthy dinner, and then  I let myself eat as much jello as I want.  It's hard to stay in form when no one else is around.  Just remember that you aren't really alone.  We are all right there with you!!