For many, food has become a mechanism for dealing with trauma.
Whether you emotionally eat in order to feel better or because you lack confidence and the ability to accept a healthier you here’s some tips to help you conquer your emotions and your emotional eating.
First off, you need to get acquainted with the voice in your head…after all, it’s talking all day long and rarely shuts up. Make a conscious choice to decide what story will play in your head, change any erroneous story that repeats in your head such as “I feel deprived when I can’t eat my favorite foods when I want” to “I am so proud of myself for taking control and eating healthy and saying ‘no’ to undesirable snacks”.
Change your brain’s interpretation (your perception) of the situation and you induce positive emotions.
If you’ve been rewarding yourself with food it’s time to disconnect from that activity and begin rewarding yourself in other much more fulfilling ways. Buy yourself something on your wish list, treat yourself to a manicure or a massage.
Treat yourself with respect and kindness. Although this one seems as though it should be obvious, unfortunately it is not. How many times have you berated yourself over something silly? How many times have you turned a mole hill into a mountain with your attention? Let go and allow yourself to be human. You are going to have a bad day on your diet, you will stop exercising for a few days when you hit your slump. Accept it, get over it and move forward.
Getting hung up on what we perceive to be a negative condition only enhances the condition.
Keep a journal of sorts. Writing down your accomplishments no matter how small gives you the incentive to stick with it and reach for the next milestone.
Be yourself. Being authentic allows you to love yourself for who you are. There is so much pressure these days to look a certain way and many times this pressure expresses itself as emotional eating.
Let’s face it, being on a diet is stressful and stress triggers junk food cravings…not a good thing!Try relaxation techniques. Yoga, meditation, funny movies as well as enjoying and laughing with family and friends are the best medicine for stress.
Get your value system, your priorities in order. Losing weight or fat should not be about immediate but fleeting satisfaction. Concentrate and set it up as a lifestyle change. Living in a healthy, slim and agile body is way more satisfying than spontaneous “binge” eating.
You must determine what your emotional triggers are and watch out for them. Take charge of your mind and body…you do have the controls, you just need to exercise them!
Achieving mastery at anything is never easy, it is a learned skill and takes work and determination…but with patience and practice, you can achieve mastery over your emotions.
If you need help focusing on your goals or strengthening your resolve in the weight loss war, I can help.
“Rebound Free Weight Loss” will help you to slim down for good just once. You’ll look and feel great.
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