Lose Weight Without Dieting Tip #5: Get a Grip on Emotional Eating post image

Lose Weight Without Dieting Tip #5: Get a Grip on Emotional Eating


Now that summer is over and the temps are getting cooler, it’s only natural to get a case of the blahs. But don’t give up and undo your good efforts and hard work from previous months—I won’t let you! Whether you’re seriously going through a rough time or just find yourself a bit bored with life in general, think about these rules the next time you want to Band-Aid the situation with a bag of Doritos.

1. Check yourself before you wreck yourself. This is one of Bethenny’s rules in Naturally Thin. Whenever I have the urge to eat because I am happy/sad/bored/anxious, I always try to pause, just for a moment, and ask myself: “How will I feel after I eat this?” The answer is usually somewhere along the lines of bloated, gross and guilty. I don’t want to feel that way. If I’m feeling like that, then I’ll be tempted to smother these uncomfortable emotions with yet another cookie, ice cream cone, slice of pizza or whatever the craving of the day is. And then the cycle starts all again. It is not fun. Take control of your actions and break these patterns by…

2. Making a plan. I know, I know, you’ve heard this before, but I just can’t stress it enough! Somewhere I read “if you fail to make a plan, then you’re planning to fail.” And it’s true. Don’t just hope for the best and see what happens. Make changes happen by setting clear intentions on how you will put an end to emotional and mindless eating.

If you head straight to the vending machine at 2:59pm every day to ward off the afternoon blues, devise a plan for how you will break this habit. Perhaps you will deny yourself of this treat every Wednesday for a month. Once that becomes easier, try two days a week. And so on. Also be prepared with healthy snacks (that you actually enjoy) and then…

3. Learn how to side-step impulses: I know it’s annoying when people advise you to “Just call a friend” when you feel like melting away your worries in a pint of ice cream, but actually…it kind of works. Last Friday night I got home from work and was in the mood to snack. Not because I was hungry, but because it was finally the end of the week and I wanted to “celebrate.” I tossed a handful of nuts into my mouth and instead of going back for more, I froze right in my tracks and intervened on what was happening.

I didn’t have any other snacks in the apartment (which is how I set myself up for success), and even though I could have gone across the street to get something, I decided to stay put. I grabbed the Us Weekly that I’d been meaning to read all week and curled up on the couch until my boyfriend got home and made us dinner, almost two hours later. It was 9pm by the time we sat down to eat, but because I averted my attention away from food, I was able to get through my impulse to snack just fine.

And the truth of the matter is, eating to avoid emotions does nothing to help you. Yes, perhaps for a few minutes you’ll feel a bit of a reprieve, but then reality sets in and you’re still stuck with the same problems you had before. Only now, you’re feeling guilty and even more tempted to dig into a pint of ice cream. If you have serious issues with emotional eating, I recommend checking out the book, End Emotional Eating. It helps shed light on why people respond to emotions with food and offers realistic action steps to work through these issues.

While I occasionally still find myself heading to my local froyo shop after a bad day, I have come such a long way with emotional eating. All of these tips have helped me tremendously and I hope they will do the same for you!

Tell me: Are you an emotional eater? What emotions trigger this habit and what foods do you reach for?

Ellen Collis is a blogger at Wannabe Health Nut and Health Coach in NYC, who graduated from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. Email her at ellen.collis@gmail.com for a free health consultation to discuss how she can assist you with your nutrition and lifestyle goals. She would love nothing more than to help you have more energy, feel fabulous in your own skin and live a healthy life that doesn’t require giving up your favorite foods.

 

6 comments… add one

Leave Your Comment Now...

Marry

Hey, i understand everything, what you are saying. I had the same issue, always when i saw a delicous food, i thought one piece of it, will be okey. From tomorrow, i will start my diet ect.
And i understand, that i should do something, with this problem, i couldn’t stand it anymore, and then i bought this done this gyud session with some reservations, with one therpaist, her name is Nayada Dar, as I had tried a similar one from a well-known therapists and with limited success. However, I noticed some effects immediately, and was encouraged to carry on. It is now 2 weeks later, and I am hooked! My self-image has improved, which is a vital part of the positive attitude needed to complete to a goal weight, especially when you have a lot to lose.
Also, I am finding it easy to ‘keep control of my eating habits’, and I no longer think of food all day! Believe me, this is some achievement, having been a ‘comfort eater’ for a very long time! I cannot recommend this highly enough. It is EXTREMELY powerful and used correctly, will change your life forever!

Reply September 14, 2015, 3:43 pm

bodyweight burn results

Hello, I desire to subscribe for this webpage to take most up-to-date updates, therefore where can i do it please help.|

Reply December 2, 2014, 12:01 pm

Karyn

Great article Ellen! Thanks for all the helpful tips. I wouldn’t call myself an emotional eater but I have been known to eat my feelings from time to time.

Reply September 21, 2012, 10:54 am

Ellen @ Wannabe Health Nut

Thanks, Karyn! Glad you liked it. And yeah…emotional eater or not, I think some of these “rules” can be applied to other issues around food. Thanks for reading (and commenting!)

Reply September 24, 2012, 9:49 am

LizaC

My biggest issue is eating whatever I want when on vacation or at a special event (like a wedding, or being with an out-of-town friend). My diet just stops. It’s hard bc, as of right now (and I know it won’t last), I can eat anything I want (within reason) over a period of two days and stay the weight I am now. I’m always so torn, bc I want to look better, be 5-7 slimmer, but I’m not THAT unhappy with how I look now. Basically, I have a hard time finding the motivation in certain situations. I guess I don’t know if I think forgoing certain things will be worth it. Any tips?

Reply September 20, 2012, 5:14 pm

Ellen @ Wannabe Health Nut

Thanks for the comment, Liza! I totally know what you mean and I struggle with the same things myself. I think “Well, I look pretty good…one cookie isn’t going to hurt.” But I think the trick is to re-shift your focus and always ask yourself if the food you’re indulging in is REALLY worth it. Ask yourself how much you want it. And remind yourself how much more you will enjoy your indulgences when they are a little less frequent. Don’t make them a habit–make them a special treat! And ask yourself, Do you want to be just “good enough” or do you want to be your BEST SELF? Being a mindful eater NOW will only help you in the long-term as your metabolism starts to slow down. Remember that every bite DOES count, so make your choices worth it!

Reply September 24, 2012, 9:57 am

Leave a Comment

Recent Relationship Forum Activity

STOP LETTING MEN
CONFUSE YOU

Sign up for our
free newsletter
and get a free chapter
of our book,"He's Not
That Complicated"