If I was the sort of gal to partake in magazine questionnaires I’d be ticking boxes confessing to being an emotional eater. “Yes,” I’d say. “I eat when happy, sad, depressed etc etc.”

And I often write about my over-eating, binge eating and emotional eating habits. I talk about the fact that I’m prone to turn to food when I’m feeling low or stressed, or more often when I’m feeling angry and frustrated. But, in all honestly I never REALLY think of myself as someone who eats when they are happy.

Sure, like most people there are happy occasions that involve over-indulgence. My annual birthday cheesecake is usually a short-lived affair. I love dining out with friends which is always special. But, I would have actually said that I don’t really ‘binge-eat’ when happy. Or out of joy.

Although yesterday I almost did exactly that.

After talking about it for many MANY months (almost a year); I bought a new car on the weekend. I have been internet surfing carsales’ sites for some time and ‘monitoring the market’ (aka procrastinating and being apathetic about making a bloody decision), but finally on Saturday I took my not-so-little self off to see a car which had appeared online; took it for a drive; and bought it. Just like that. I may  confess to procrastination and apathy, but once I’m ready: WHAM! (I once joked about the amount of money I spent in about 20 minutes shopping for an iMac, TiVo and accessories!)

I wrote about my excitement in my other blog (which also includes photos!)… but after a few hitches (aren’t there always?!) I picked up my new car yesterday afternoon, farewelling the car I’d had for 10 years with barely a second glance. And I jumped in and drove home excitedly, trying knobs and buttons and generally as excited as a 5 year old at Christmas. The drive home from the car yard wasn’t that long, so naturally I thought I should do a longer route (despite my usual hatred for driving); which is when I started pondering on where I should go.

Ha! The thought popped into my head. I could drive to the grocery store. You know… the one that stocks caramello koalas and corn chips. And it’s next to a bottle shop. My little mind raced off, planning the night of celebration. Junk food and wine. And lots of both.

Until I consciously stopped myself. “No corn chips. No chocolate,” I told the devious imp in my mind – possibly my inner critic Myra or her mischievous great-granddaughter Esmeralda. But for a moment I wavered. Yes. No. Yes. No.

I then realised I wasn’t THAT desperate for either. I reminded myself I had my car to excite me and offer some fulfilment to my dreary and bleak existence (Hee hee… that just sounded good. I don’t think I really think that. Really!).

So, instead I drove home – arriving much earlier than I usually do from work and planted myself in the bath with the car’s instruction manual so I can work out how to use the bluetooth thingy and make the most out of my new purchase.

While bathing I thought about Happy Feet Food and the fact that I ALMOST ate out of sheer joy or excitement: something I wouldn’t have thought I did. Usually when I do so it’s part of a ‘treat’ process – done when finishing work before holidays for example. But it’s something I don’t do often: Happy Feet Eat. Which doesn’t mean much really, but gives me a bit more insight into when and why I over eat at other times.

And you know what they say…. knowledge is power. Or something!

Do other emotional-eaters eat when happy or excited?
Or are you more like me and turn to food when things are going badly?