Emotional Eating

Nice Piece by Jilian Micheals

Q: I'm an emotional eater. I know I crave food when I'm feeling insecure or down, but I don't know how to say no to the cravings when I'm feeling that low. Do you have any strategies for beating emotional cravings?

A:

I get this question ALL the time. Okay, it doesn't take a genius to know you need to eat less and move more to lose weight, so why do so many of us continue to struggle with our weight year after year? It has everything to do with how we feel when we eat, and why we choose to eat what and when we do. It's important that we understand how our emotions and behaviors affect our weight and eating habits so we can then learn how to motivate ourselves toward positive change.
I dedicated pages and pages to this subject in my first book, and it would be hard to address all the how's and why's here. But there are many techniques for combating emotional eating. Let's go over a few of your options for beating an emotional craving when it strikes:

• Remove the temptation. You can't emotionally binge on food that isn't there. Clear your cupboards of all the things you reach for when you're feeling down. Have your hubby hide the kids' Oreos so you don't know where to find them. Throw out the leftover birthday cake in the fridge. Skip the chip aisle the next time you go grocery shopping. If it's not available, you can't eat it — simple as that.
• Build a support system. Positive support from friends or family is crucial. The next time you find yourself mindlessly staring into the fridge, call a friend or a workout buddy and have him or her talk you off that ledge. Join a weight-loss group. Go to an OA meeting — ANYTHING to keep you from slipping back into old, bad habits.
• Spend your time wisely. Find a way to relieve stress and boost your mood that is positive and life-affirming rather than self-destructive. Take a bubble bath. Create a new workout playlist for your MP3 player. Plan a summer vacation (maybe at the beach, so you'll have a little motivation to slim down for your two-piece!). Go for a bike ride, walk the dog, pop in a workout video, get a manicure, or splurge on a massage — anything that makes you feel beautiful and healthy. You'll be far less likely to turn to food when you're feeling good.
• Write it down. Start a journal — and not just to write down what you eat. Take an inventory of what you're feeling, and write it down. It'll help you see what's really bothering you, which allows you to work on a solution instead of trying to find a distraction. If work has you stressed, buckle down for an all-nighter to get that project off your desk. If it was a fight with a friend, take a few deep breaths and try communicating with her, or simply give each other time to cool down and have faith in the fact that this, too, shall pass.

Things sometimes suck. That's an unfortunate fact of life. We're sometimes thrown a sudden curveball, and when that happens it's important to attend to yourself in positive ways. Bingeing on food, smoking, drinking, or any other indulgent habit may be a temporary relief, but you will only feel worse in the long run. Focus on really changing those habits and you'll break the cycle.