I'm Gonna Eat It Anyways.....

... gaining control of your emotional eating, and what you should know!

If you're that person racing to the pantry because you're feeling down, angry or some other emotion, you have likely fallen into the abyss of the emotional eating trap.

Finding comfort in food is common. Our favourite foods are often responsible for releasing those "feel good" neurotransmitters called dopamine, leaving a sense of pleasure in the brain, and unfortunately an unhealthy coping mechanism for the blues. Negative feelings tend to leave an emotional void... food is believed to be a way to fill a void and create a false sense of being "full". People who emotionally eat, will reach for food to suppress and soothe negative feelings. They may even feel guilt or shame after indulging this way, leading to cycle of excess eating, and unfortunately leading to associated issues of weight gain.

This was... and still sometimes me. I've developed a better relationship with food throughout my journey, but still sometimes find myself saying "screw it"and reaching for that bag of salty snack.

So how do you stop the madness?? Take it from me, it's not easy but it can be done.

First if all.. emotional eating is just that. Emotional. The cycle of emotional eating will not end unless you address the emotional needs head on. If it means finding a counsellor, do so... I did... it was my first step to a better relationship with food.

Next... Find other ways to cope with stress. Finding other ways to deal with stress and negative emotions is often the first step towards overcoming emotional eating. This could mean writing in a journal, reading a book, or finding a few minutes to relax and decompress from the day. It does take time to shift your mindset from reaching for food to choosing other activities instead, so experiment with different activities and routines that work for you.

Exercise.... Move your body.

It doesn't matter what you do... run, skip, lift weights, yoga or dance... just move! Moving releases feel good, mood boosting endorphins, that are not just good physically but mentally and emotionally too.

Meditation.

Practicing mindfulness and mediation is something you can do anywhere. Sit in a quiet space and focus on your breath, slowly flowing in and out of your nostrils. There are many apps like - Insight Tiimer, that offer free guided meditations.

Eat a healthy diet, and get rid of the common offenders!

If it's not there, you can't eat it. If the high fat, high sugar, high calories foods are what you reach for, ditch them - and consider having veggie sticks like carrots and celery cut up ready to go, plain popcorn, and lots of flavoured herbal teas. Make sure you have a good, balanced diet during the day, lots of veggies and protein. If you eat well, it may be easier to spot if you're eating because of hunger, or boredom.

Food may help ease emotions initially, but to address emotional eating is to address the source of the emotions and feelings behind the hunger in the long term. Work to find alternative ways to handle stress, like positive self talk, meditation, exercise and peer support.

xoxo

Amanda