Tips for emotional eating - 5 easy ways to avoid emotional eating
Since I've been reading about emotional
eating today in some logs, I wanted to offer some of the things I do
when I get stressed/upset instead of grabbing many cookies (which I
tend to do about once every 6 months). This list is for myself as well.
I call my friends.
This is a common one. If one is not home, I literally move down my
mobile phone list to call the next one and so forth until someone is
home. Might sound strange, but I need to feel heard and I'm not picky
about who is on the receiving end. Of course, if you use this
strategy, you have to be available to them as well, which I am.
I take a long shower.bath.
A
shower/bath is filling up the tub but still keeping the shower head on
as well. (sorry to the environmentalists out there but I'm not really
using more water than a long shower). I keep the lights off (currently
I have a window in the bathroom that produces great light, if I don't
have a window, I light candles). I stay in there as long as I want with
the water beating down on me. I tend to go through many emotions,
crying, to relaxing, to happy to crying again to relaxed. It works
really well.
I play catch and release, shopping style.
I'm
not proud to admit this but we're talking selfish strategy here. I go
out, shopping all day long. I walk and walk and walk and walk and
shop.Then a few days later, I return and return and return.I usually
end up keeping one thing that I bought, but I do find that when I shop
when I'm stressed/upset, I don't really buy things that I like and when
I'm in a better mood, I see that immediately.I'm not proud of it but
this strategy works VERY well. Don't go to the high end boutiques
though, they won't let you return. Stick to the department store/chain
shopping.
Pick up a book or magazine.
Nothing gets me out of my stress or funk better than a really good book or magazine. Sometimes I pick up books directly related to health and fitness (Dr. Weil's 8 weeks to optimal health is still one of my favorites). Often they are even books I've already read. I go back for a refresher or a pick me up. Other times I opt for light reading in the form of a popular magazine like Health or Allure. Whichever I choose, it gets me away from the snacks and towards new ideas.
I go to the gym or out for a walk for 5 minutes with my FAVORITE music.
Yes, I commit to 5 minutes because I know once I get there, I'll be
there for a the full workout but if I commit to "sweating it out", I
just get tired and I don't go. The 5 minute rule works well. The only
caveat is that I have to have my favorite music on my ipod and it MUST
be charged. Music is proven to change your mood and your spirit and
sometimes within one minute it change change everything.
The PEERtrainer community also had some great advice about the psychology of food and emotional eating if you'd like more suggestions.
Wow. I feel so much better after writing this. Thanks for reading!