Comfort eating might be the one class of emotional eating that has its own food category ("comfort foods"). Most of us can easily name our fave go-to comfort treat that encourages the cozy or reassuring experience we sometimes seek.
When life gets hard, or stressful, or exhausting, comfort eating can instantly get out of control, and when you don't have many reserves left, it can be tough to strike back. Let's be honest, occasionally it can be tricky to even find the motivation to want to try.
Here's the thing. Taking command of comfort eating doesn't must be just about as hard as so many people make it. Many times, misguided tries to stop it are basically making the difficulty worse. There's a better way. I am going to tell you what it is.
Struggles with eating to 'feel better" to "numb out" or "escape" or as a reward after a long, difficult day are emotional eating challenges I hear about quite a lot. Food is simple. It's nearly always around, eating doesn't require a big production, and snacking in front of the tv or eating M&Ms at your desk doesn't typically create more conflict or drama or add to your must-do list. At least, not right away. At certain moments, food may actually feel a bit like your mate. Your best friend.
If you ask most women what they could do to stop eating too much for comfort, most can easily rattle off, "what I should do"
It's sometimes a list that goes something similar to this:
"I need to just knock if off."
"If I was heavy, I'd make a plan of not eating after 5pm."
"I should get on the treadmill/elliptical/stationary bike instead."
"I should just focus and keep working."
The reason that all of these "shoulds" aren't working (or don't work for long), is that there is an awesome mismatch between the need for comfort that's driving the need to eat and the solutions that high-achieving busy women incline to come up with.
Repeat after me: You overeat for a sound reason, and if you do not approach that reason with respect, it's going to come back to bug you.
Here is the almost-always-overlooked solution to comfort eating:
If you're craving comfort and you need to cease using food to gain it, you are going to have to come up with an alternative that meets you where you are and is comforting. Counting on white knuckles and discipline isn't a good strategy. Neither is adding in another splash of to-dos or effort.
Expecting more difficult work from yourself ("I should just go work out/weed the garden/finish that report") is not a solution to comfort eating. It should make you hungrier and set your inner rebel on the warpath.
Expecting high energy activities from yourself if you are beat and just want a soft place to land? That is a mismatch as well.
Comfort feels good. It's often straightforward, and probably warm and inviting. It's kind and soft and reassuring.
If you'd like to really take command of comfort eating, you are likely to need a list of alternatives that are actually, really comforting. They won't feel precisely like nuzzling up to that pint of ice cream, but you need them to feel a bit like they are at least in the same family.
Start now. Brainstorm a catalogue of 10 things that you can do that are comforting, simple, and don't demand lots of effort. THIS is the beginning of your recipe for success.
When life gets hard, or stressful, or exhausting, comfort eating can instantly get out of control, and when you don't have many reserves left, it can be tough to strike back. Let's be honest, occasionally it can be tricky to even find the motivation to want to try.
Here's the thing. Taking command of comfort eating doesn't must be just about as hard as so many people make it. Many times, misguided tries to stop it are basically making the difficulty worse. There's a better way. I am going to tell you what it is.
Struggles with eating to 'feel better" to "numb out" or "escape" or as a reward after a long, difficult day are emotional eating challenges I hear about quite a lot. Food is simple. It's nearly always around, eating doesn't require a big production, and snacking in front of the tv or eating M&Ms at your desk doesn't typically create more conflict or drama or add to your must-do list. At least, not right away. At certain moments, food may actually feel a bit like your mate. Your best friend.
If you ask most women what they could do to stop eating too much for comfort, most can easily rattle off, "what I should do"
It's sometimes a list that goes something similar to this:
"I need to just knock if off."
"If I was heavy, I'd make a plan of not eating after 5pm."
"I should get on the treadmill/elliptical/stationary bike instead."
"I should just focus and keep working."
The reason that all of these "shoulds" aren't working (or don't work for long), is that there is an awesome mismatch between the need for comfort that's driving the need to eat and the solutions that high-achieving busy women incline to come up with.
Repeat after me: You overeat for a sound reason, and if you do not approach that reason with respect, it's going to come back to bug you.
Here is the almost-always-overlooked solution to comfort eating:
If you're craving comfort and you need to cease using food to gain it, you are going to have to come up with an alternative that meets you where you are and is comforting. Counting on white knuckles and discipline isn't a good strategy. Neither is adding in another splash of to-dos or effort.
Expecting more difficult work from yourself ("I should just go work out/weed the garden/finish that report") is not a solution to comfort eating. It should make you hungrier and set your inner rebel on the warpath.
Expecting high energy activities from yourself if you are beat and just want a soft place to land? That is a mismatch as well.
Comfort feels good. It's often straightforward, and probably warm and inviting. It's kind and soft and reassuring.
If you'd like to really take command of comfort eating, you are likely to need a list of alternatives that are actually, really comforting. They won't feel precisely like nuzzling up to that pint of ice cream, but you need them to feel a bit like they are at least in the same family.
Start now. Brainstorm a catalogue of 10 things that you can do that are comforting, simple, and don't demand lots of effort. THIS is the beginning of your recipe for success.
About the Author:
Dr. Melissa McCreery focuses on helping busy overworked women practice strong self care without overeating. Visit her site to get her free audio and find out what you might do differently next time you're faced with emotional eating.