Emotional eating is a complex issue, one that’s not easily resolved overnight, and 99% of the time, has very little to do with eating itself.
I talk to women every day who eat too much because their husbands ignore them, or they feel trapped in a dead end job, or they can’t bear the pain of loneliness. Some have incorrigible mothers, other mother-in-laws, or teenage daughters they’re ashamed to admit they can’t stand.
So they eat, because at least food tastes good, is a trustworthy, constant companion that never talks back, and is provides a reliable feeling they can count on.
What [bctt tweet=”emotional eaters are brutally unaware of though is that they’re eating because of their fear”] of their feelings, not because they're dysfunctional when it comes to losing weight. Too often weight indicates laziness or slovenliness to too many people, when in reality, weight stagnates for so many reasons other than an inability to pass up dessert or go the extra two miles on the treadmill.
When it comes to emotional eating, there are varying degrees; understanding where you are will help you determine how far you have to go before you fully break free. Gauge your progress with my 5 degrees of emotional eating:
1) The Non-Phased, or those folks who aren’t even familiar with the term emotional eating, and therefore, have no clue it’s effecting them. Or in other words, they don’t know what they don’t know. (That’s not you, or you wouldn’t even be reading this.)
2) Newbies, or Beginners. People in this category suspect they may be emotional eaters and are just on the outskirts of exploring it further and how it’s impacting them. They’re curious, and open to learning.
3) The Actively Engaged. People who are knee deep in the throes of understanding all the levels to emotional eating and who come to new layers of awareness almost daily.
4) Advanced. When you’re new to emotional eating, it’s like opening Pandora’s Box. At first, you’re truly amazed at how strong your emotional ties to eating are, and what triggers you into eating, yet after a while, it becomes second nature as you continually move through more and more branches of unresolved emotions that you’re now willing to face. Staying the course is key in this stage, and pays off in big dividends once you finally uncover the remaining pieces.
5) 10%’ers. You can graduate from emotional eating, and live a 90/10 lifestyle, where only 10% of the time you’re an emotional eater, and 90% of the time you’re not. Therefore, instead of being an emotional eater, you’re more of an intuitive eater, and you don’t have to think so much about when you eat or what. It’s like flipping a switch, and once you get it, as with anything else, it’s easy and just becomes part of who you are, naturally. No more struggle.
With certainty, overcoming emotional eating is not for the faint of heart. It requires a true champion to even be willing to broach the topic, much less do the emotional footwork it demands of you, and yet there is truly no other way to make peace with food, or your body, without overcoming it first.
Above all, be patient. If it’s ever been a virtue, it’s now. It may not be the simplest task, or quickest, but the reward is undoubtedly worth it. Not only will you change your eating habits, but every aspect of your life will be enhanced right along with it.
Oh, and there's one more thing! My free eCourse on how to stop emotional eating goes even deeper into helping you tackle this problem for you. Download it by clicking the button below!
Angela Minelli is an author, speaker and founder of Angela Minelli International, a heart-based global business serving purpose-driven everyday women and entrepreneurs whose self-image and weight issues are inhibiting their confidence and blocking them from pursuing their life’s passion.
Angela's joy is in taking a stand for women who are living less than ideal lives, stopped by fear and doubt, which prevents them from stepping into their innate power and delivering their God-given genius to the world. Her coaching programs and products are designed for women with busy lifestyles yet allow for powerful transformation to take place within a small segment of time.
As a natural health practitioner and digestive health specialist, Angela specializes in helping people overcome weight and energy issues through holistic, non-invasive protocols that address the root cause of their conditions, including adrenal fatigue, candida, thyroid disorders, and more.
Explore the ideals that are the cornerstone of her work at angelaminelli.com.