Diabetes Diet: 3 Steps To Overcome Emotional Eating
Your body gets nutrients from food. So eating is part of your life. Emotional eating is one issue with food. That is because sometimes with our eating habits we go overboard and it results in a weight gain.
The problem of emotional eating begins in the mind, no doubt about it, even though it ends with the scale. Your health takes a hit and so do your emotions when your defenses are compromised.
You have good and bad days, but the way you deal with the bad ones is what brings emotional eating into play. People turn to food seeking solace or a consolation mechanism that will not judge or hurt them or say no. Eating pleasurable foods, to worsen things, can stimulate the release of endorphins, like exercise.
Emotional eaters hide behind the food, instead of seeking solutions to their problems. That is a way to relieve daily life stress.
Is there a way to know that you are using food in this way? The first sign is quite apparent. You eat too much, you gain weight. If you are gaining much weight, examine certain areas of your life:
+ Has anything shocking, physical or emotional, happened to you lately?
+ Are you facing a serious problem but have not found a solution?
+ Have you been under stress lately at home or at work?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, it probably shows that you are an emotional eater. You are not necessarily hungry at any time, but you eat anyway.
We term comfort or indulge foods to those that you chose. Among them:
+ High carb foods like mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese
+ Sugary foods like donuts, cookies, ice cream, cakes
+ High fat foods like fried foods, French fries
So you are an emotional eater? Well, the first step is recognizing that you have a problem. Do not despair. There is help for emotional eaters.
+ Firstly, try to avoid thoughts of guilt and helplessness. Both lead to feelings that may potentially ruin your health.
+ Secondly, seek counseling. Many types of counselors out there can meet your needs. Emotional eating has nothing to do with changing your eating habits, but with gaining control over your emotions. It is not a matter of changing your diet, rather a matter of focusing on positive thoughts. Here is where hypnosis can be of great help. Counselors suggest techniques like relaxation, visualization, hypnosis, practicing problem solving skills, as well as family support. You will learn to see your problems in a very practical and naturalistic way and not blown out of proportion. You will learn to see food not as an emotional crutch but as nutrition for your body.
+ Thirdly, ask support from your family. They can learn your triggers for stress and be on the lookout for changes in your eating habits. They can assist you in making healthy food choices and help you be aware of the foods you eat, including portion control as well. They can even exercise along with you. Remember that good ways to increase blood flow, immunity and positive thinking are exercise and proper diet. Yoga and hypnosis enhance the mind-body connection, to avoid eating when you are not hungry.
Finding new ways to deal with stress and solve your problems will greatly help you overcome emotional eating. Go take control of yourself and you will get rid of the dependence on food.
JOSE TALAVERA-Health advisor. Diabetes expert, consultant and author. If you liked this article, visit the site below for more advice and resources:
conquer-diabetes.blogspot.com
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