binge eating Archives - Page 2 of 2 - Diet Free Radiant Me | Intuitive Eating | Emotional Eating

Chocolate Doesn’t Solve Your Problems

Life is hard sometimes, wouldn’t you say? Things can be going along wonderfully and then all of a sudden BAM, you get hit in the face with a situation that you are not quite ready for. What I’ve learned in my life is firstly that this is just a part of life. We become better people when we go through tough situations and we learn from them. And, secondly, I’ve learned that food (and for most people…chocolate) does not make the problem go away.

Now, I know you are reading this and perhaps you are saying “you are wrong Bonnie, chocolate makes it all better”.

And, to that I say, it makes it all better for the moment you are in your empty body, stuffing the chocolate in your mouth, pushing your feelings down deeper and deeper. But now, the chocolate is gone and what are you left with?

THE PAIN! The pain of still dealing with the difficult feelings you had originally, AND the pain of the GUILT of bingeing on chocolate and the PHYSICAL PAIN of eating too much of it.

So, what are you to do when you just don’t want to deal with the situation that has presented to you in your life?

You SUCK IT UP AND DEAL WITH IT!

WITHOUT. THE. CHOCOLATE.

Yes, I know that sounds harsh, and I don’t mean to be harsh. But it’s just a part of life. You are here on my blog reading my articles, following my work because you want help. You want and need someone to say to you “let’s learn how to deal with your emotions and difficult situations in life without using food. Because food is not the answer.”

Here are 2 steps for you to take immediately so you can learn how to turn away from the chocolate when feeling down:

Step 1: Make a list of the situations and/or emotions that cause you to turn to chocolate (or any food for that matter).

Step 2: Click on this link to request to speak to me so I can help you craft a plan to overcome emotional eating.

I look forward to speaking with you soon!

Powerful Strategies to Conquer Overeating – The Final 3!

Have you been following my series Powerful Strategies to Conquer Overeating on The Diet Free Zone Show?

Last month I shared with you the first 3 strategies to conquer overeating and today I will share the final 3. But before I do, let me remind you what the first 3 strategies are.

Strategy #1: Be patient!

Forget about quick fixes. It can take 3-6 months to replace bad habits with healthy ones. You want these new habits to last a lifetime, don’t you? Then what’s your rush. Give yourself plenty of time to change, and don’t focus on perfection. If you set an impossible deadline for yourself, you will become discouraged and throw in the towel. Patience is a virtue!

Strategy #2: Talk to yourself!

Positive self-talk is crucial to deal with those inner voices that discourage you from making change. Remind yourself why you want to change, for example “I’ll feel better if I lose weight’. Speak out loud to yourself so you hear your positive voice, rather than just “speaking in your head”.

Strategy #3: Make new friends!

Do you have friends that sabotage your efforts? Or, are the friends you hang out with always interested in going out to eat? If so, find people who will support your efforts, and who are interested in going for a hike on a Sunday rather than a movie. Take a good look at who you hang out with and their influence on your eating and exercise habits. And, if needed, make a change!

Now, on to the next 3 strategies to conquer overeating.

The videos for these strategies can be found by clicking each of the images below:
Strategy #4: Forget About Willpower

Strategy #5: Set up a Positive Home Environment

Strategy #6: Cheer Yourself On

After watching the entire series, let me know which strategies are working for you!

Powerful Strategies to Conquer Overeating

I recently started a series called Powerful Strategies to Conquer Overeating on The Diet Free Zone Show™ on my YouTube channel.

In case you don’t subscribe to my channel (although you should…here’s the link to subscribe for free https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_vbh0Zqy6Y2TSQCbHQwziA ) I wanted to share the first 3 strategies with you here.

Click on the images below to watch the videos, then come back and comment below.

Stay tuned for the next 3 strategies in the coming weeks.

Strategy #1: Be patient!

Strategy #2: Talk to yourself!

Strategy #3: Make new friends!

How to Manage Your Emotions without Turning to Food

One of the things that come up often in my work with my clients is how they deal with emotional eating. We all experience different emotions throughout a given day. For some, there might be more than others. Such emotions include anxiety, loneliness and sadness. Other more subtle emotions that often might lead you to turn to food include boredom and stress. It is totally normal to experience these emotions from time to time, but how you cope with them is key. (Note: if you are experiencing intense sadness and depression, please see an appropriate mental health professional.)

So the question here is: do you find yourself reaching into the food cabinets when these emotions arise? If you do, how do you feel after you eat the cookies, candy or whatever your “go to” mood fixer food is?

I know that deep down you realize that food is not resolving the issue at hand. Yet, you still find comfort even for the moment in the box of chocolates. But you know what? After you eat them, you now have to deal with the guilt, physical discomfort of overeating and the original emotion you were trying to numb. You are now worse off than when you started.

Does this sound like you? How do you get out of this viscous cycle?

The first thing you need to do is acknowledge that you turn to food to comfort negative feelings, even to numb the emotional pain you might be feeling. Then, you need to commit to learning a new way. Before immediately turning to food, STOP and ask yourself what are you really feeling. If you can honestly say you are hungry, then by all means you should eat….a well-balanced power snack or meal. But if you are being true to yourself and really want to help yourself, you won’t automatically say “I’m hungry”. Instead, you will think about what you are feeling and how you can comfort yourself without turning to food.

If you are unsure what you need, seek out the support from a friend, counselor or therapist. Talking through your emotions instead of eating through them is an amazing feeling. If you are not ready to face your feelings, then engage in an alternate activity.

Write down some things that you enjoy doing that can distract you during these times. Take a walk, do a puzzle, read a book, go for a ride etc. Figure out what works for you.

I’ll tell you what works for me. When I am feeling overwhelmed, stressed or upset about something, I remove myself from the area I am at that is causing me distress. I then take several deep breaths and count down from 10 to 0. It really helps me clear my head, and prevents me from heading to the peanut butter jar:)

What works for you? Please let me know in the comments section below. And if you need help sorting through your emotions, I am here for you. Just click here and request to speak with me so you can get clear on your challenges and have a clear path towards dealing with your emotions without turning to food.

No Thank You Miss Food Pusher

Around this time of year with the holidays of Passover and Easter just around the corner, it is a good time to talk about a category of people I like to call “food pushers.” These people mean well, but they have a tendency to start interfering with the hunger and fullness cues you have been working to develop. To help explain, I am going to tell you a story one of my previous employees who has been on her own mindful eating journey told me recently.

Lucy* had struggled with cyclic weight gain throughout college and it wasn’t until she started studying nutrition that she began to realize it is not about diets, but about living a healthy lifestyle. The more she started practicing intuitive eating principles, the more she stopped worrying about her weight, and was happy with her health. The problem was, Lucy’s mom had her own hang-ups when it came to body image that she would sometimes project on her. If Lucy appeared thinner to her mom, her mom would be more agreeable to offering her dessert, or encouraging her to take seconds at meals. But when she felt like Lucy was going back to her “heavier” weight, she would make comments like “Are you really that hungry? Do you need to eat more?”

While this frustrated Lucy, the more she listened to her own intuitive eating voice the less she cared about what other people thought about the quality and quantity of the foods she decided to eat. Recently she was shopping with her mom and sister and they spotted a candy that is only around during holiday time. Lucy and her sister purchased one and split it. Her mom said, “Did you need to eat that candy?” As she began to reply she realized there was no need for justification. There was nothing wrong with her eating that candy, it was not mindless nor was it in excess so she simply said, “yes” and everyone moved on. No food pushing (or pulling) away—just Lucy “trusting her gut” (pun intended!)

You might find that these people in your family, especially those you see only during the holidays, are the first to comment about your appearance and your eating habits. They typically have a tendency to comment if they feel you did not eat enough and try to guilt you into taking more food. There is no justification required for how much or how little you choose to eat. You know what will satisfy you and you are in charge. If you are afraid of hurting a family members feeling for not trying something special they made, simply ask for the recipe and say “thanks for the recipe, I can’t wait to make it!”

Family members sometimes have no filter. Usually the things they say to you regarding your personal eating habits occur because they are unhappy with their own. Perhaps this holiday season will be a time when food pushers turn into mindful eating converts when they see how well it is working for you. And hey! If they need some guidance you know where to find me.

Your turn to take action: Recall a time a food pusher got involved in your decision about what and how much to eat. What are some ways you could have stayed true to your own mindful eating needs instead of being swayed by them?

*Name changed

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