I wanted to cover the subject of emotional eating as many of us struggle with our nutritional wellbeing when it comes to this. Lets work through this in alphabetic order.
*Anger Eating - When you are feeling anger, feeling mad as hell, and you take it out on the feel crappy foods. When you just do not give a F*@k about anything because you are so ticked off. So you choose the foods that you normally would avoid as you know tomorrow you will have the food hangover. But in that moment, all that matters is the food you are about to eat, food hangovers are not a concern.
*Avoidance Eating - So this is when something is bothering you, you have some stress or upset and you use the feelings of either fullness or hunger. It could be that you eating constantly and to feel that uncomfortable feeling of being too full, or you could reduce eating, letting that feeling of hunger be present. Which ever one it is, it is so that feeling often overrides the feeling your current situation is giving you, so you can avoid the issue.
*Comfort Eating - When you use foods to soothe you. To be a pacifier. When you are feeling less than your best, and you just want to take a break. Reaching for your comfort foods,. to help give you that time to self soothe. We all know, all too well, that it works in the moment, but often leaves us feeling guilty the next day.
*Companion Eating - When bonding with friends and family over a food. This is enjoyable, but it can be unhelpful. It can be encouraging of eating habits that are not very helpful. Especially if you eat out a lot, with starters, and desserts, alcohol. Meals out often result in overeating.
*Forced Eating - When you feel obligated to eat when you are not hungry, or eat more than usual, because someone made it for you. Eating when you feel under pressure, and you are eating to people please.
*Identity Eating- When you are known as the 'big lad' or known for someone who loves a bottle of wine and curry for a night out . Whatever it may be, we often have an identity around food. You may find yourself engaging in old eating behaviours because 'that is who you are'
*Innocent Eating- When you label a time, a day or night , as a one off, as one wont hurt. Truth is, these one offs, are not one offs, and they happen regular. Innocent eating really lays the guilt at our feet.
*Novelty eating - When you feel you have to eat, because the food is for a limited amount of time only. For example, there are many foods that we only tend to eat at Christmas, so we eat as much of those as we can, before the season is over.
*Trash can eating - When you feel guilty throwing food away, including what others have left on their plate. So you eat all the food on your plate, and maybe the kids plates, so you don't feel like it has been wasted.
Can you relate to any of the ones I have mentioned?
Truth is , we are all emotional eaters, as we are emotional beings, and it would be impossible for our emotions and food not to collide. Food does provide comfort, and that is ok, it is only an issue when it starts to feel out of control, and the food itself is the cause of emotion. Emotional eating that is starting dominate your life can be really tough, as it starts to effect physical, emotional and spiritual health. It can be a hard cycle to break, but it is possible.
Ease upon yourself, be kind to yourself, and if you feel you need some support around this, then please reach out. I help women from all different backgrounds, reclaim their power over emotional eating.
