Emotional eating hits close to home

Nearly a month ago, I got the dreaded call. My bubbie, the person I was closest to in my family, had had a stroke and was in the hospital. I spent the next 36 hours packing up my life in Prague and catching a flight to Chicago. Because of COVID, I had to quarantine for my first week back and get tested before being able to see my family. 

When I returned home and started to deal with my new reality, it took a toll on my well-being. Because of my training, I saw the signs of what was coming, and I knew exactly what this was, emotional eating at its best. I eased back into finding comfort in the foods I had grown up with, good ol’ American style cuisine so I didn’t have to feel my feelings. 

Over the next 3 weeks, I found myself slipping back into old patterns of finding comfort in the foods I used to love as a child, cheese fries and fast food. All of us have these kinds of habits that we fall back into when we experience trauma, however by knowing and understanding our patterns, we’re able to catch ourselves while we’re in them. The more we’re able to do this with our thought patterns and our old habits, the more likely we’re able to begin to change them. 

Here are a few tips to start this process…

1. Pay attention to when you have cravings. 

Before reaching for the food, notice your thoughts, your feelings, and where your mind goes. Are you sad, bored, or unhappy? What sensations do you feel in your body? Are you holding onto any pain, stress, or tension? You may want to keep a food diary to notice your patterns.

2. Be gentle with yourself. 

Let’s be honest, adulting is hard and sometimes we may feel that we need a break. Just remember that you deserve to take the time for self-care, even if it’s just 5-minutes to sit with your breath. Begin out time for self care bit-by-bit each day to regain your sense of self. 

3. Be honest with where you’re at and what you need.

Tell the people closest to you how you’re feeling. This may require being more vulnerable than you’re comfortable with but in my experience, it is always worth it. The people that care about you will step up to support you in what you need.

If this resonates with you know, know that beginning to notice these patterns is the first step to change. These things will take time and these types of changes aren’t always easy nor instant. When our body has these cravings, it’s trying to fill a void that is missing in our life. So it’s important to tune into what your body is telling you. Most of the time this process of unraveling underlying emotions takes time, but if we continue to be consistent with noticing our patterns, we will begin to make the positive changes we want and our body needs. Most importantly, be gentle with yourself through this process.

To learn more or begin coaching through your emotional eating habits, contact me here.