WAYS TO BEAT EMOTIONAL EATING
Most of us have to hold our hands up, don’t we? , I know I am an emotional eater. We’re feeling down and upset or even upbeat. The next thing you know, there’s a sweet treat in our hands and it’s off we go. So the question is, how can we dodge our common habit of turning to food to deal with emotions?
- Wait
One of the most important things I’ve learned is that no matter how strong a longing or a urge is, it will pass, IT ALWAYS DOES!!! and it doesn’t take too long. If you find yourself in a situation where you’re turning to a bowl of ice cream because your emotions are too much to deal with, wait it out. You don’t really want the ice cream. You want an escape route for your emotions. It can be unbelievably uncomfortable for any of us to sit in our feelings, even if they are good feelings. Relax. Take a moment to close your eyes and do some deep breathing. You will get so much more out of that than you will from allowing yourself to give in to every compulsion.
- Know Your Habits
Those of us who eat emotionally are often well aware that we are doing it. But sometimes, we don’t understand our habits. Often after a stretch of emotional eating, we look around and think “what just happened?”. The next time you reach for food in an emotional state, take a moment to recognize it. What happened? Are you sad? Angry? Frustrated? Happy? Believe it or not, those of us who experience emotional eating don’t always do it because we’re upset! Different people have different triggers. By recognizing and acknowledging them, we are able to be proactive and guide ourselves away from unhealthy actions.
- Grab a Friend
So many things in life are easier when we don’t have to do them alone, and this is no exception. It’s really simple. Choose a friend or two who is supportive and loving who you can call when emotional eating tries to rear its head. It’s even better if you can create a mutual support group between a few people, so that you can all count on each other for this. And then use that phone. The help and support of others who understand your situation is a relief to the soul like nothing else.
- Never give up
Breaking habits you’ve had for years is no easy task. The simple act of attempting it is brave. We are not perfect and what matters most is the eagerness to try and then try again. Remember, as with anything: it’s not the falling down that’s important, it’s the getting back up. Be tough with yourself. Replace the emotional eating with something you love. Don’t just take away the food…replace it with something healthy and fun.
Now Go Do It!
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