Emotional Eating
Food is not just a source of sustenance anymore, but it also serves as a coping mechanism for many people. When people are experiencing negative emotions, such as stress, anxiety, or depression, they often turn to food for comfort. And my friends, this is known as emotional eating.
The reason why people turn to food as a coping mechanism is complicated. I used to do it as a stress response at work when i'd get a shitty email that I wanted to delay having to deal with by taking a trip to the snack box.
On one hand, food can provide immediate relief from negative emotions, as it triggers the release of dopamine in the brain, which is associated with pleasure and reward. This can create a temporary distraction from the underlying issues that are causing the negative emotions like a shitty email.
On the other hand, food can also provide a sense of control and comfort when other aspects of life feel chaotic or overwhelming. Food is so tasty these days that it's easy to fall into the habit of using it as a reliable source of pleasure and comfort when other areas of life are uncertain, uncomfortable or empty.
Unfortunately, using food as a coping mechanism mostly results in overeating and getting fat, which can worsen negative emotions and lead to a vicious cycle of more emotional eating. Additionally, relying on food as a coping mechanism prevents you from developing more effective coping strategies, such as exercise, mindfulness, or seeking social support.
I developed 3 habits to help me better manage my snacking habit.
- I exercise every morning.
- I gratitude journal every night before bed.
- Whenever I have the urge to snack I sit with the feeling until it goes away or I drink water instead.
I limit myself to only eating at meal times, if uncomfortable emotions arise I sit with those emotions. The less time you spend distracting yourself from yourself with food and other vices, the more comfortable you'll be dealing with your feelings.
It is important to recognise when emotional eating is occurring and to address the underlying emotions and issues that are causing it rather than using food as a cope. This may involve seeking professional help, such as therapy or counseling, to get to the root cause of your problems. I meditated and journaled my way to a healthier mind.
The most common reasons for using food as a tool to give us a brief sense of pleasure and comfort are:
- Stress
- Boredom
- Loneliness
- Depression
- Trauma
- Anxiety
At the end of the day food is fuel, it's a basic necessity we need to survive. The way you feel shouldn't impact when and what you eat, your hunger should. If like me you’re not big on therapy, meditation and deep journaling are the next best things. I cover this in my mental health guide so check that out HERE for more information.
Your mental health plays a major role in the way you think and if your head isn't right, your diet will never be. Because it takes getting your head right to truly develop the self love you need to take care of yourself properly. Eating well is an act of love and self care and if you struggle with this act there’s probably some underlying negative beliefs you've internalised about your self.
There's a reason why more than 90% of people who lose weight end up putting it back on. To do the right things for your health on a consistent long term basis, you need to first believe that you deserve to feel and look good. And secondly have control over your thoughts and be able to self regulate your emotions in a helpful way. This is a mental game and if you struggle with consistently keeping your weight down you need to work on your mental and emotional fitness.
Cheat Days
On your road to cutting out garbage food it's best NOT to schedule cheat days that trigger addiction and inflammation. Would therapists ever recommend cheat days for smokers, alcoholics, or sex addicts? Probably not. ... Avoid your trigger foods at the start of your journey.
For me it was double chocolate cookies, I would do whole packs of them in one sitting. It was a pretty gross sight, and I felt even worse after. Not in a shameful way, I regret nothing, I just felt physically sick because sugar is a drug. And an extremely potent as well.
Here's the deal: you need to know your why. Understand the deeper motivation behind avoiding those tempting treats.
Is it about reaching your fitness goals, functioning better as a human, or simply avoiding illness?
Get crystal clear on your reasons and keep them in mind when temptation strikes. Set clear boundaries too. Decide that trigger foods have no place in your life if they sabotage your progress. Draw that line in the sand and commit to honouring your boundaries no matter what.
Visualise success. What results is avoiding garbage trigger foods going to get you?
Is it being healthy enough to play with your grandchildren?
Having visible abs?
Being fit enough to walk up stairs without almost dying?
Picture yourself feeling proud, strong, and in control. This mental rehearsal primes your mind to make empowered choices.
Stay busy and engaged. Fill your schedule with meaningful activities and hobbies. Boredom and idle time usually lead to mindless snacking. So keep yourself occupied with things that add meaning to your life.
Track your progress too. Celebrate each victory, no matter how small. If you go 2 weeks without eating garbage and that's the longest you've ever done, that's a W. Reflect on your successes. Building willpower takes time and practice. But trust me, it's a muscle that gets stronger with consistent effort. And the only opportunity you have to train that muscle is when you desperately want to eat garbage the most. Every time you resist temptation, that's one rep for your will power. Those reps will compound over time and resisting temptation will get easier and easier.
Be brutally honest with yourself about your addictions and triggers. If you know that you are still vulnerable to relapsing into a packet of haribo's then stay away from them. If you do end up overindulging because life got too much for you and you needed to cope, make it a conscious decision. Own it and lose the guilt, that only serves to cripple your progress. Don't be a victim, be a warrior, and get back on track immediately.
Think like your SAT NAV, which doesn't call you a 'stupid idiot' when you make a wrong turn. It just tells you another route to get back on course. We all lose our way sometimes, you only lose when you stay lost.
After a wrong turn, you can reflect on how it made you feel to choose garbage you knew wasn't good for you. In these moments you really need to question why you chose to self sabotage, it can be very eye opening. Turn bad days into good data. NEVER waste a bad day, thats information you can use to continually improve your willpower and self-control. So, embrace the challenge, stay focused, and watch your willpower grow.
Always remember, you were born to be the hero of your story.
Free you outlaw.