You might be an emotional eater if....
*You ever feel INTENSELY SUDDENLY hungry. Not like the kinda hunger that gradually intensifies as your tummy naturally digests and is emptied. Emotional hunger is an "I NEED A FREAKING BIG MAC IN MY FACE HOLE NOW!" type of deal. (me when my boys act up)
*You CRAVE junk foods instead of balanced, well portioned meals. Hello Ben and Jerry's, get in my belly! (so very very me) Hint: If an apple or a handful of baby carrots doesn't sound good, you are probably not really hungry.
*The urge to eat happens right after something that causes you stress, discomfort, or delight. (me again)
*The urge to eat accompanies guilt, sadness or BOREDOM (yep, me, me me...)
*You often feel GUILTY after giving in to the craving. (me some more)
(It's so out of control I dressed my freaking BABY as a taco for last Halloween)
What about YOU? Are you an emotional eater? I have never been more certain that I am ABSOLUTELY an emotional eater, and drinker! When I am stressed, overwhelmed, giddy with glee, I want SUGAR, BREAD and SODA.
But I have good news! We CAN take back control of our emotions and the way we feed them.
Here are a few tips on how to smack that soda/candy/cheeseburger in the fatty, greasy, delicious face and send it packin:
-Exercise for 30 minutes a day EVERYDAY. Uggghhh I know, I know. But it doesn't have to be a huge, Herculean effort. Take a walk with the kids, dance around the living room. Exercise releases chemicals in the brain that fight off stress, depression and anxiety (all triggers for emotional eating). So, get movin and forget about that Frosty!
-BREATHE. Relax. Meditate twice a day. No "Ohms" needed (unless that's your jam. If so by all means "Ohm" the day away). Just close your eyes when you feel that stress craving starting to build. Close those gorgeous eyes and take 5 deep, slow breaths. As you exhale, think of something you are grateful for. Picture someone that makes you happy. Let your mind wander to a quiet, peaceful beach or mountainside. Go ahead, try it now. Finding simple ways to decompress throughout the day will help us avoid getting to the point where we feel like the only thing that can calm us is inhaling an entire cheesecake. .
-Reach out! Find an accountability partner. Or a coach! When you feel like you're going to free fall face first into a bag of cheeze doodles, text them. Wave the distress flag and get some outside perspective! We really are stronger than our cravings but sometimes we just need to hear it from someone else.
Now that we are armed with knowledge and techniques for how to recognize and battle emotional eating let's commit TODAY to take back control. I am IN. How about you?
xoxo,
M
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