Don't Eat Your Feelings
We eat for so many reasons. We eat because we are hungry, bored, happy, sad, lonely, and as a celebration. Our associations with food start very early in life; developed within our culture and our family. The holidays can be a wonderful time of sharing and celebration. Unfortunately, for some people, it can also be a time of renewed grieving for those lost to us. Holidays can be a time of connection, but also a time of disconnection. Whether it is dealing with the holidays or any other time of year, think about why you are eating. Keep an emotional food journal for a month and when you eat something, also write down your thoughts and feelings. Did you eat for hunger or were you expected to eat? Did you eat to fill an emotional gap of some type? Was eating just something to do or something you do out of habit? Do you even know when you are hungry? Describe what hunger feels like to you. How do we change a life time of emotional eating? That answer is different for everyone. The first intervention is to change what food is available in your environment. You are less likely to eat unhealthy food if it is not readily available. Most people who eat emotionally want a quick fix. However, if you are one of those people who will drive to the grocery store or the fast food place by your house, decide on healthy designated food you can get while you are working on changing actual habits. Have activities planned that do not allow you to eat. For example, if you are giving yourself a manicure, you can’t very well be eating a bag of chips. Any type of craft can be a good alternative to eating. Try not to eat while reading or watching TV. Eat at your kitchen table only so you don’t associate eating with other places. Most importantly, talk to yourself about why you want to eat and trying to come up with an alternative to problem solving. If you are bored, do something fun or interesting. If you are sad, what is causing that void and what can you do to fill the void that does not involve eating. Can you celebrate with something other than food and if food is involved, plan ahead the foods you will eat, including the treats you will have. To make food part of your life and not the center of your life, you need to fill your life with activities and people that bring meaning and positive feelings into your life. As the saying goes, eat to live and don’t live to eat.
We eat for so many reasons. We eat because we are hungry, bored, happy, sad, lonely, and as a celebration. Our associations with food start very early in life; developed within our culture and our family. The holidays can be a wonderful time of sharing and celebration. Unfortunately, for some people, it can also be a time of renewed grieving for those lost to us. Holidays can be a time of connection, but also a time of disconnection. Whether it is dealing with the holidays or any other time of year, think about why you are eating. Keep an emotional food journal for a month and when you eat something, also write down your thoughts and feelings. Did you eat for hunger or were you expected to eat? Did you eat to fill an emotional gap of some type? Was eating just something to do or something you do out of habit? Do you even know when you are hungry? Describe what hunger feels like to you. How do we change a life time of emotional eating? That answer is different for everyone. The first intervention is to change what food is available in your environment. You are less likely to eat unhealthy food if it is not readily available. Most people who eat emotionally want a quick fix. However, if you are one of those people who will drive to the grocery store or the fast food place by your house, decide on healthy designated food you can get while you are working on changing actual habits. Have activities planned that do not allow you to eat. For example, if you are giving yourself a manicure, you can’t very well be eating a bag of chips. Any type of craft can be a good alternative to eating. Try not to eat while reading or watching TV. Eat at your kitchen table only so you don’t associate eating with other places. Most importantly, talk to yourself about why you want to eat and trying to come up with an alternative to problem solving. If you are bored, do something fun or interesting. If you are sad, what is causing that void and what can you do to fill the void that does not involve eating. Can you celebrate with something other than food and if food is involved, plan ahead the foods you will eat, including the treats you will have. To make food part of your life and not the center of your life, you need to fill your life with activities and people that bring meaning and positive feelings into your life. As the saying goes, eat to live and don’t live to eat.
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