Previously we talked about the first step to take to overcome emotional eating. We discussed how to start to observe yourself when it comes to your eating and feelings. Identifying your food and emotional patterns as well as the triggers that start the eating cycle is an important first step.
Step two involves a little creativity. Think of 5-7 things that you enjoy doing. Think of how you could substitute them instead of eating when you get a trigger. For instance, do you enjoy looking through a magazine, sitting outside, taking a walk, talking on the phone or even taking a nap? Creating a list and having it handy is going to help you shift from food elevating your mood and calming you down to a healthier alternative replacing it. The result is a new learned behavior.
Okay, now that you have your list it’s time to get down to business and put it in place. The next time you are triggered to eat for an emotional reason I want to stop and pick an item from you list and do it. If you can hold off the eating for 10-15 minutes you are rewiring your brain to associate the new behavior with your trigger rather than having to turn to food to calm you down. Your current ‘learned response’ to the trigger and food associated with it needs to be unlearned. This ‘substitution activity’ is the step that does it. You must be patient with yourself while practicing this step because you will undoubtedly flounder at first so don’t beat yourself up. Just try again the next time.
Practice is what makes this step successful. As you attempt to get through each trigger and as you observe your efforts you are challenging the brain to come up with new ways to not eat. There will be times you give in to the food and that is part of the learning process. Take a step back and see what you could have done differently and try that the next time. Each time you try and add a few minutes more and distract yourself in other ways you will be rewiring your brain to respond differently to the trigger.
The next time you start to feel push for food coming on try again. The important part here from the brain’s perspective is to stop the associated eating with the trigger. Once you stop it enough time your brain will stop associating those those triggers with food and calming you down. It will associate your new activity with calming you down and feeling better. This is not easy and takes practice but it is simple. You can do this with enough practice.
This step will only be successful with consistent practice. Even your first failed attempts will give way to your new habits with consistent practice. Remember not to get discouraged. Get support if you need to or journal your frustrations but don’t give up trying. It is usually right before we give in that we have a breakthrough so be patient and kind to yourself. Cheer yourself on. Make a game of it in the beginning and keep score. Your old brain programming won on one side and you won on the other.
Action step: Chose 5-7 substitutes for eating when and emotional eating trigger strikes you. Start to record each time you used one and how it went. Be patient. Be consistent. Be forgiving when you do eat. Above all keep practicing it’s the only way your brain will rewire to the new behavior.
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