Emotional Eating

I have always known I was an emotional eater, I guess you could say I am just an eater, because I will eat for any reason. This is not a huge revelation for anyone that is overweight; as they said in our WW meeting yesterday: If you didn't have an eating problem you wouldn't need WW. The cycle of emotional eating is a vicious one; and I actually noticed I was in the cycle the past week.

After my weigh in last week I was very angry and depressed over my WW failures, and eating was there. I ate a lot all at once and then realized I had done it and felt bad about it and ate again and then I felt gross so I didn't want to do anything so I ate again and then I realized what I ate the day before and I got angry and ate again; this cycle went on for three days until I looked at it for what it was and decided to knock it off. Three days folks! I was depressed and lonely because my husband is at training for an extended period of time, and also because of my WW issues. I realized I have to keep planning my days instead of just letting food happen and exercise happen. So on Wednesday I found a kickboxing class that meets three nights a week and costs $2.50 per class and I went. I am going again tonight and will continue to go three days a week as often as I can. I am eating like a person is supposed to, with actual meals at normal times of day, not just grabbing stuff and eating until I feel sick.

In WW yesterday we talked about our trackers, and I admit that I don't use mine when I feel bad about my eating. But that is the point of the little things; to show our patterns and help us fix them. To show us how we eat and why, and also that you can track your emotions and daily events too, and you will be amazed how they line up! This post is to encourage anyone that feels trapped in their cycles of emotional eating, there is a good way to stop doing this. It takes a lot of work, think of an alcoholic that uses drinking to numb some sort of painful memory; they drink to numb the pain and then have to drink again because they feel bad about drinking...and they cycle starts. You can stop the cycle if you pay attention to your body and what you are putting into it. If you are bored or depressed make sure to plan your meals and your exercise. Go take a walk or run or hit the gym when you are sitting at home feeling blah. The exercise releases endorphins and you will feel better after 20 minutes. There is a way to stop eating; there is an Italian Proverb that states it perfectly:

"EAT TO LIVE, don't live to Eat!"