Help! I’m an emotional eater…

How to Overcome Emotional Eating

I have a confession to make. Over the past 20 years, I’ve spent many late nights in a hotel room right after an event, eating pizza or sometimes chinese food (depending on who was open after 10 or 11 pm…LOL! … (OK… not funny!)

The problem was that I wasn’t even hungry. So why was I eating comfort food in a hotel room right before going to bed?

Here’s why…COMFORT! Emotional eaters don’t have to be hungry to eat.

I’ve talked to other emotional eaters who were victims of abuse at one time in their life. Others were holding on to some other painful situation that was never dealt with. There were some people whose issues were so deep rooted that they didn’t even know why they ate comfort food even when they were not even hungry.

Eating is a part of life.  Your body gets its nutrients from food.  Sometimes we can go overboard with our eating habits and it can result in gaining weight.  One issue with food is emotional eating.

The problem of emotional eating may end with the scale but it begins in the mind.  Stress takes its toll on your life.  Loneliness…. Depression… Heartache… Low Self Esteem…  Boredom… Confusion…. Fear… Sadness…. Self Doubt…

When your defenses are compromised your health takes a hit and so do your emotions.

Everyone has good days and bad days.  How we deal with the bad ones brings emotional eating into play.  You look for comfort for your hurts.  People who turn to food for comfort find a coping mechanism that won’t judge them, hurt them or tell them no. To complicate the issue, eating pleasurable foods can stimulate the release of endorphins just like exercise.  So, after you eat, you feel better.

Emotional eaters use food to relieve stress.  They hide behind the food instead of seeking solutions to the problems.  This is not uncommon when the stressor is something horrible such as physical abuse or a death.

But, how do you know you are using food in this way?  The first sign is obvious.  You will gain weight if you eat too much.  In light of the weight gain, examine other areas of your life:

* Have you been under stress lately at work or at home?

* Has anything traumatic happened in the last year?

* Are you dealing with a problem but haven’t found a solution?

Answering yes to any of these questions could mean that you are an emotional eater.  You eat but you are not necessarily hungry at the time.  The foods that you choose are what we term comfort foods:

* High fat foods like French fries, fried foods

* High carb foods like macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes

* Sugary foods like ice cream, donuts, cookies, cake

There is help for emotional eaters.  The first step is recognizing that you have a problem.  You’ll experience feelings of helplessness and guilt.  The guilt is over potentially ruining your health and the helplessness lies in the fact that you don’t see a way out.

Secondly, seek counseling.  There are many types of counselors out there that can meet your need.  Emotional eating has nothing to do with dieting or changing your eating habits but gaining control over your emotions.

A counselor might suggest things like visualization, practicing problem solving skills, relaxation techniques and family support.  Visualization helps you to see your problems in a realistic way and not blown out of proportion.  You will also learn to see food as nutrition for the body and not an emotional crutch.

Thirdly, a loved one who truly cares about you can learn your triggers for stress and be on the lookout for changes in your eating habits.  They can help you be aware of the foods you are eating, assist you in making healthy food choices and exercise along with you.  Proper diet and exercise increases immunity, blood flow and positive thinking.

Lastly, pray and meditate. Allow the Holy Spirit to comfort you, guide you and give you peace. Go to youtube.com and watch some  videos by Pastor Joseph Prince. I love His teachings on grace.

I also watch worship videos on youtube.com I love watching people lift their hands and sing to the Lord. I do this almost every day.

I’ve done a lot of journaling as I’ve been on my own lifetime journey. I am an Overcomer! Over the next few days, I will be giving more keys to overcoming emotional eating.

Finding new ways to solve your problems and deal with stress will push food out of the equation.  You’ll feel good about finding solutions which will replace the dependence on food.

Join me on the Body By Vi 90 Day Challenge.

For more information, click here now.

You matter,

Alvin

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Tagged as: alvin slaughter, diet, emotional eating, overweight, Visalus