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Emotional Eating and How to Overcome It

by | Aug 11, 2023 | Eating Disorders | 22 comments

Do you find yourself reaching for food when you are feeling down?  You are not alone.  It is very common for people to turn to food for comfort when dealing with big and difficult emotions.

When you eat in response to your emotions, this is called emotional eating.  Many people do this from time to time, but when you are dealing with unresolved trauma or an incorrect belief, it can be difficult to break the cycle.  

The real problem here comes down to: what are we thinking and feeling?  Often our emotions come from two sources:

  1. Mindset: Your subconscious beliefs about something that may have come from your childhood, from your parents or from leaders in your life.
  2. Heartset: How you feel and what is triggering these feelings - you may be triggered by unresolved anger, shame, guilt or sadness.

Very often, we are not actually feeling hungry at all, we are simply reaching for something to soothe our emotions.  In fact, 75% of overeating is in response to emotional hunger rather than physical hunger.

Now that we know that overeating is not actually about the food, but our emotional state it is important to learn WHAT we are actually thinking or feeling and address these.  It is vital to create a healthy mindset and heart set in order to heal.  

How do we overcome emotional eating?  Here are 5 things you can do:

1. Embrace a Sense of Calm

Did you know that stress can hinder weight loss progress? It's like driving in traffic that's always at a standstill. When our bodies are consistently stressed, it can lead to changes that promote fat storage, especially around the abdomen. But fear not! We've got an array of tools in our stress-busting toolkit. From EFT and meditations to refreshing walks in nature and soothing music, even a lighthearted comedy can work wonders.

2. Ditch the Deprivation Mindset

Imagine if food could just be food, not something that you idolize or fixate on. Let's toss out the idea of restrictive diets, stress-inducing eating patterns, and the need to please others through our food choices. Instead, let's focus on satisfying our true physical hunger. Ditching the diet mindset can recharge your energy, boost motivation, and wave goodbye to the cycle of frustration and self-criticism. 

Here's a self-supportive strategy: listen to your body's hunger cues, enjoy meals without distractions, know when to pause (stop when around 80% full), avoid the scale-watching routine, and stand strong against social pressures.

3. Heal Your Heart

What's really behind those emotions you're experiencing? Could it be loneliness, boredom, or a sense of rejection?  Your heart holds the key, listen to it by writing down these feelings and sitting with them.  Once you have found the deeper issues that lie at the core of your emotional eating it is important to release them.  Let go of the negative emotions that are sabotaging you.

4. Rewire Your Mind

Your conscious mind does about 10% of the work, while the subconscious takes up a whopping 90%. The subconscious mind is where beliefs reside, they are the main influence in your life. Your beliefs can actually block you from losing weight. Therefore, it is important to identify what these limiting beliefs are and gain clarity on what you want to achieve.  Once you have this clarity, find some positive affirmations and speak them out loud each day, or use visualisation, or both.  You've got the power to rewire your subconscious and steer it towards success.

5. Believe in Your Amazing Self

Let's focus on you and your happiness, independent of others' expectations. What ignites your passion? What brings you joy? What dreams are you nurturing? This is your time to invest in yourself, to trust your body's wisdom, and to embrace the incredible vessel you live in. Remember, taking time for yourself isn't selfish—it's an essential step toward nurturing your wellbeing.

If you need some guidance with emotional eating, Nancy would love to help you. Please contact her to find out more.

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