Emotional Eating: What's Eating You?

Back in July, I had a dream about my sister that triggered a major emotional shift, grief and anxiety did a serious tag team number on me. To calm all that I was feeling, I turned to snacks. You know those foods that we find comforting.  I noticed a pattern, despite food and I having a very interesting relationship, I found that in those anxious moments I turned to foods that fed that part of me that needed reassurance and calming; this is Emotional Eating. Because junk food is just processed calorie laden foods that serve no true nutritional value, I felt absolutely horrible after eating those delicious Cheetos and Snickers. As I drank tons of water to flush that pollution out of me, I vowed I would never do it again, in that moment I meant it, I was sincere in my stance of never polluting my body, until......

Emotions are signals, like an on board navigation system, they help us move through the world and interact with others. They tell us when something is good for us and they tell us to flee when something is dangerous. As important as emotions are, God never intended for our emotions to lead us, they are our support system only. When you don't know how to balance your emotions, they will rise up and take charge of your whole life. They will tell you what to do, when to do it, and how to do it. Even after I vowed to never succumb to Emotional Eating again, I found myself surrendering to it just a few days later and then again this week, Houston we have a problem!  

When we are dealing with Eating Disorders and Eating Illnesses the real issue is not food, it is our perception of food and the relationships that we have built with food based on perspective. Currently, I am working to not sedate my emotions when they shift. Instead of trying to quiet them with food, I am focused on listening to the message that they are sending me. I am not going to run from what I am feeling, I am going to allow my emotions to move and as they move, I move with balance. The problem with Emotional Eating other than it is physically and mentally unhealthy is that it is not a cure for your pain, it's merely compounding a problem. Emotional Eating is another form of running, it is fear in action. Personally, I have lived in fear long enough and I am not running anymore, does this mean that I will never fall to Emotional Eating again, no! Emotional Eating like any other illness requires intervention and treatment. So, I have to follow the plans that my therapist, my life coach, and I have created to help me navigate the urge to eat when my emotions shift into an anxious place or trigger thoughts, memories, or feelings that are uncomfortable. The only way to recover from any illness or disorder is to face it. We can't conquer what we are not willing to confront. 


To hear more about my journey to recovery from Emotional Eating see my Vlog on the subject here Emotional Eating Video

Making better food choices is key