Are you being controlled by food? Are you thinking about what to eat at lunch when you’ve just finished breakfast? Are you always attempting a new diet? How’s it going for you? It must be pretty tiring! Chances are you are not happy with your food relationship or your body. And can I guess you’re a little unhappy too?
How do you stop the food obsessing and emotional eating?
One of my favorite topics is emotional eating because I’ve definitely been there. There is no one solution out there. You probably already know that as you’ve tried countlessly to stop. But I will give you some pointers.
Don’t try to lose weight.
This is what is likely to be fueling your food obsession. I understand you may want to lose weight, but for now, let it be. Focus on healing your food relationship which means no diets. You’ll find once you heal your food relationship and eat ‘normal’, your body will find its natural healthiest weight. You’ll lose weight without dieting!
Don’t restrict any food.
No food is good or bad. Eat what you feel like. If you like to eat sandwiches but have been worried about the bread, stop the restriction. Eat the sandwich. Don’t worry about what everyone else is doing. Check in with you and what foods make you feel good. The food that makes you feel energised, happy and satisfied is for you.
Social media detox.
Clean up who you follow on social media. Best thing I ever did! You absorb what you are looking at subconsciously. Photos of models with little nutrition knowledge (ie they have no idea about the science of food) aren’t doing you any favors. Being slim doesn’t mean you know nutrition. You will never look like anyone else either so get rid of that goal too! Focus on being healthy. Follow people who you really connect with and their message makes you feel good.
Accept you may emotionally eat at times.
If it happens. Let go. Don’t restrict yourself the next day. Don’t beat yourself over it either. Say an affirmation ‘I can eat whatever I want and not get fat’. Sometimes we need some soul food. You won’t get fat over one day. Listen to what your body was needing and learn from it. Had you not eating much the days leading up to it? Or were you upset over something that happened at work? Recognising your triggers helps.
Seek a professional or extra support.
The mentality normally is to try harder next time. If it hasn’t been working before why will it this time? Not every nutritionist or dietician will understand emotional eating. Find someone who can address it with you without dieting. It can help to have a good friend too, sometimes we just need to vent instead of eating our feelings.
I’ve helped many clients get their life back on track around food and body image. If you feel you need the extra help contact me for a consultation.