5 Tips to Overcoming Emotional Eating

One of the best features to this positive weight loss course I mentor my clients with, is that it addresses EMOTIONAL EATING!

One MAJOR disfunction of most diets. They fail to address the root cause of why we can’t KEEP the weight off!

First off, remember you didn't create these habits overnight, you will not break them overnight so give yourself a TON of grace!We have to rewire our brains and actions and the effort we put in now makes it effortless in the future.

Emotional eating is the psychological and physiological reliance on food. So let's address them and call them like they are.

TOP 5 TIPS TO OVERCOMING EMOTIONAL EATING:

 
  1. Name that mood.
Track it and start paying attention to the patterns. What triggers can you begin to identify?
  • Is it you didn't eat enough for lunch?
  • Is it the weekend and you loosen up?
  • Is it that your kids annoyed you and it's the end of the day?
  • Is it that it's “that time” of the month?
Pay attention to find that correlation.

2. Eat when your hungry to set yourself up for Success - DO NOT skip meals.

Maybe you didn't have enough at a meal. Play around with portion sizes. Maybe it's worth measuring your protein until you feel you are full and satisfied after each meal.

Track when you get hungry after meals to know where to tweak. Maybe it's a matter of shifting the times you eat!

Remember that hunger hormone ghrelin that triggers us to feel “hungry”.

A few "true" hunger cues will be:
  • lack in energy
  • possible headache
  • Stomach pangs
  • Slight dizziness (which generally not a good idea to let it go this far).
Without tracking you cannot find where to tweak, so embrace the process. And guess what? I STILL track my nutrition.

3. Identify FEELINGS

Does it really have anything to do with foods? Likely not, it’s become a crutch!

The best way out is always through. Calm anxiety before eating, rather than calming your anxiety BY eating. Find ways to decompress and distract from food. Maybe it's just a matter of 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 (Mel Robbins 5 Second Rule)...rerouting your path. 

Emotional awareness is your personal guide to prevention.

➦ "I'm PMS'ing thats why I want chocolate"

I mean do you really? Or is it just a societal norm that's been subconsciously impressed upon us, that when we PMS, we crave stuff?

When you eat your feelings, you are DISTRACTING yourself from the ACTUAL ISSUE. We want to address the ROOT CAUSE to address it and nip it. 

Ask yourself “Will eating this cake, take away my kids bad behavior from earlier?’ NO!

"Will this greasy pizza take away the fight me and my husband had today?” NO!

This is where the MINDSET SHIFT HAPPENS.

By using food to escape bad feelings, you will NEVER discover that you can TOLERATE AND OVERCOME THOSE FEELINGS.

You’re going to fall down and fail at it, but CHOOSE to learn from it!
  1. Find your healthy coping mechanisms
Two questions to find if its good -

"Will this make me feel better or worse right now?"

"Will this make me feel better or worse tomorrow?"

If you can answer BETTER to now and tomorrow its a good one to use.  Short term might make you feel better in moment, but long term wont. Start turning towards these healthy alternatives vs the food. For me, my best outlet is a workout or heading outside with my kids. Again, it's that 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 behavior change. 

 
  1. Pushing through hard times is the key to success
It's going to be hard, but worth it. We’re all in this together learning.  Life will never NOT be busy and chaotic so lean into the challenges. That's when you will find the sustainability behind your results, as you are facing the hart sh*t, HEAD ON! 

"I'll wait til Monday" is the biggest BS brush off excuse. I mean I love a good Monday, but always thinking that certain Monday is going to be the magical answer, is only pulling the wool over your eyes! It's Thursday....face the music! I'll do it with you.

Use the chaotic times to challenge yourself.

"How can I make this the healthiest date night?"

"How can I make this the healthiest vacation?"

"How can I find the healthiest option while at gas station?" Or for me, "Do I REALLY need this eating opportunity?" Likely not.

When you make it a game and challenge its more fun!

Work hard to keep habits through good and bad.

TRACK, TRACK, TRACK!!!! To find the method to your madness.

Bonus tips

Call the emotions what they are. Give them a name. 

Find purposeful foods for cravings. There's always ways to "healthify" your favorite recipe.

➦ Pizza for instance, try Ilana's Egg White Pizza.

➦ Pasta: try zucchini noodles with your favorite pasta sauce.

➦ Ice Cream: wonder whips, Shakeology bowls, Halo Top ice cream or dark chocolate! 

YOU ARE SO STRONG AND CAN DO THIS!

Always remember, WHAT'S THE ALTERNATIVE? Feel like crap like you used to?

YOU CAN DO THIS! LETS GO FORWARD vs BACKWARDS!

My inbox is ALWAYS open for you.

0 comments

There are no comments yet. Be the first one to leave a comment!