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What Are You Feeding?
When you emotionally overeat, who are you feeding? What emotion are you feeding? Emotional overeating is not a response to physical hunger. It is feeding a scared little child, an uncomfortable strong emotion, or silencing a voice inside of us giving us a message in our lives that we may not want to acknowledge. The key to weight loss and maintenance is to ask yourself who or what are you feeding and listen for the answer that lies in you.
When you eat when you aren’t hungry, have you ever stopped to question who it is you’re feeding? Many of us feed ourselves based on an emotional need, even when the emotions are negative or positive. Many of us eat when we are sad, bored, angry, or even joyous and happy.
When we are emotionally eating, it is usually something quick, easy, and pre-made, pre-packed or requires very little preparation other than opening a box or wrapper. Any food choice that is especially sugary, salty, or crunchy are the favorite fixes. We are feeding ourselves with quick fixes that usually have little or no nutrition, and we’re eating when we are in a mode of emotional unbalance and hunger isn’t the issue. We’re caught in old patterns of mindless, compulsive emotional overeating. Have you ever stopped to ask yourself, “Who are you feeding?” or “What are you feeding?” This pause and awareness is important in overcoming mindless and compulsive emotional overeating. You’ve eaten your evening meal and are satisfied from dinner. Yet, before you know it, not hungry, you are walking into the kitchen to eat a piece of cake, ask yourself “Who am I feeding?” Maybe ask yourself how your body will feel after you’ve eaten the cake. You know that you’ll be uncomfortable, overfull, and remorseful that you’ve eaten the cake. You will physically feel uncomfortable, but you also cause a cycle of remorse, disappointment, frustration and yet another stab toward lower self-esteem. Are the few seconds of temporary pleasure worth the discomfort to your body and emotional downward spiral? Is it worth it?
It really isn’t about the cake. It is never about the food. It is about awareness. The key is to be aware of your actions and acknowledge how a particular food choice will “feed” you. Stop and check in with yourself. Get in touch with who you need to feed, it is easier. Are you feeding an emotion or the scared part of yourself? You become more in touch with your emotions and what you really need and what emotion you’re feeding. When you make this a regular practice, it will be a habit that you check in with yourself regularly. If you make this a habit, you’ll go a long way to feeding yourself in a nurturing, healthy way. You’ll be headed toward losing weight and maintaining your weight loss healthfully. If you catch yourself on your way to emotionally eating, stop. Check in with yourself and as “Who am I feeding?” Wait for the honest answer that is inside you. Ask yourself and listen. The answer will come.