Emotional Eating

Hello Rachel,

I'm so proud of you for setting those goals. They are realistic baby steps to a healthier lifestyle, it's good that you didn't go above and beyond what you think you can do. In fact, I feel like we should celebrate with ice cream sundaes or something...just kidding, but maybe we can go for frozen yogurt again.

I gotta tell you that the same thing happened with me that happened with you and your healthy sandwich. I had to buy lunch today since I still have been to lazy/cheap to grocery shop. There was the glorious smell of pizza and chicken wings presenting themselves as choices...screaming "Pick me! Eat me!" I even walked over to get them and then I found myself unable to do it...I mean I'm unhappy enough with my body.

So instead I picked out this nice garden salad with vinaigrette dressing. I got about half way through it, decided it tasted disgusting and threw it away. The space in my body for hunger filled with guilt of the wastefulness as you expressed, but oh well food isn't everything and I'm so glad I can think of it that way now.

I used to be such an emotional eater...I'd eat when I was stressed out. I used chocolate as a quick fix when I was sad and baking was a way to pass the lonely time, but now I find myself doing other things.

I can't find the link, but one day I was listening to NPR and a guy was talking about "sugar cravings" and whether or not we actually have them. He said that everyday around 3pm he would start to crave a cookie and so he'd walk down to the cafeteria and grab a cookie. However, he then realized it wasn't the cookie he was looking forward too.

It was getting up and leaving his desk, saying hello and gossiping with coworkers. So, one day he decided to get water instead of the cookie. He would crave a cookie around 3pm, and he'd get up from his desk, pick a coworker to gossip with and go get a water. By the time he returned to his desk his cookie cravign was gone, even though he never ate a cookie. Eventually, he didn't crave the cookie anymore, but looked forward to his socializing time.

He discovered that it wasn't the cookie he actually wanted, but the food was an excuse for something else he needed.

Do I 100% buy this? I'm not sure, but I have been trying to follow it a little bit. When I start wanting chocolate really bad or a mocha latte, I ask myself is it the mocha I want or the coffee shop environment? When I go to the coffee shop and get tea I'm usually pretty satisfied. When I go for a walk with a friend instead of getting pie or chocolate with them, I'm usually satisfied.

So when I feel like eating a whole bag of potato chips or making a milk shake because I couldn't find someone to hang out with on a Saturday night...or I'm in a stubborn mood where I don't feel like going out and yet I still feel lonely even though I CHOSE to stay in...if I create something else, like a painting, a clean kitchen or decide to write, I'm usually satisfied.

My emotional attachment to food is limited right now and I must say I feel pretty good about this.

Life can be lovely sometimes,

Angela