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Overeating at Bedtime

Jan2

I don’t know why but it seems that even as adults, some of us just don’t want to go to bed, no matter how tired we are. Maybe it’s what bedtime represents–the end of a day that we don’t want to end.

Even on the most unproductive of days, it’s hard to say good-night and call it a day. And what better way to avoid going to bed than by eating?

Evenings can get lonely. When you’ve had a great day but have no one to share it with, food is often the substitute. Whether you are an emotional eater, a person with a food addiction, or just a regular person who doesn’t want the day to be over, night time eating can be a menace.

For one person, it could be that extra five pounds–I wish. For me, it’s that extra twenty-five pounds, and for someone else, it might be an extra fifty or more pounds. Being overweight is a problem for many people, and it doesn’t matter how much extra weight we’re carrying.

Overeating at bedtime is a big mistake. It’s a real temptation. Even when we go the entire day without binging, craving or faltering, when darkness falls, the comfort of food beckons.

Of course, the simplest thing is just to go to bed when you’re tired. Let the day be what it is, have a cup of tea, or take a nice bath, read a book. Relax for an hour and embrace sleep.

Sleep rejuvenates the body in a way that nothing else can. Make sleep a priority if you want to take the weight off and keep it off. Yes, it’s true, especially for food addicts.

A food addiction will not make you skinny like some other addictions may, but you’ll miss the problems that inevitably accompany other addictions .

Tonight, the remedy is simple. Get some sleep. When you’re sleeping, you’re not eating. And more importantly, you are re-charging your batteries. All that renewable energy will help you burn fat.

So go to bed already. No more food for the night, just sweet dreams. They have no calories.

Food Addiction Never Takes a Holiday

Dec28

So if you have a binge eating disorder or a food addiction, pay close attention to this important message. Okay, just having some fun. I’ve been Christmasing in blizzardy, rural Kansas without wireless service for the past 8 days. It was fantastic!!

The truth is, I love the Christmas holidays because they are so festive and happy. I love the spiritual high, the music and I love the food.

I’m not much of a party girl,  so I don’t have to contend with some of the most tempting holiday fare. I do remember those days, though, and how hard it was to turn down the many offers of food and drink.

Now when I’m celebrating at someone else’s house or party,  I take a few precautions that I’ll share with you.

Beware of friends, family, and anyone with a tray of food who try to bully you into eating when you are not hungry. Be nice but beware.

Food addiction and emotional eating run rampant during the holidays because holidays are packed full of feelings. Some of those feelings will bring you happiness and peace. Others will trigger an uncontrollable urge to eat.

Since there’s still another week to go before New Year’s resolutions promise to undo all the “bad stuff” from the holidays, my advice is to have fun. Truly enjoy yourself. You can do that without stuffing your face–at least some of the time.

When you eat in order to gain the approval of someone you love, you both get hurt. You get angry with yourself and build resentment for the food bully. If you want the food and ask for it, that’s another story, and that’s perfectly fine.

Walk your own path. Walk the path that takes you in the direction of your goal. If what you are doing or planning to do will keep you from achieving your goal,  then you are going the wrong way.

If you have a food addiction, treat that with respect. Food addiction is hard enough without feeling that you are required to sabotage yourself and your valiant efforts in order to please someone.

People do things because of who they are, not because of what someone else does. There is no reason you can’t eat, drink, and be merry like anyone else. Unless you are a food addict.

So keep that in mind all through the holidays and the whole year. Enjoy the food and festivities. Eat something “sinful” and enjoy it. Stuff, stuff, stuff with happiness.

Just because food addiction never takes a holiday doesn’t mean you can’t.

Panic and Food Addiction Triggers

Dec18

One common food addiction trigger is panic. Panic causes one to stop breathing in regular breaths. Regular breathing, and especially deep breathing, is calming.

That’s why people say “Calm down, take a deep breath” when you get agitated and appear panicky. Of course, no one likes to hear that command even if it does work.

Someone with a food addiction and a breathing emergency has a real challenge on their hands. I was reminded of that today when I ran out of a formula I take to help me breathe deeply. Now I know to order an extra bottle of it and make sure I always have a spare on hand.

I was shopping for non-food items in a drugstore that carries food when I fell off the wagon. I had actually run out of my elixir yesterday but had expected the new order to arrive today. It didn’t, which added to the panic.

When your body needs energy, it takes whatever it can get. In the scrambled emotional state of panic, confusion is the only winner. You go after food, water, juice, or any other substitute for air and sleep.

When you are unable to take a deep breath, you can’t yawn, so you can’t sleep. Without rest, the body loses energy and food is an alternate energy source.

It really doesn’t matter what you eat because until you can get the rest your body really needs, every other attempt to satisfy the “hunger” fails.

Some triggers are harder to deal with than others, and some you just have to let pass. These are the ones you must avoid. There is really no other way to deal with them.

Stay out of situations that you know will make you uncomfortable. I’m not saying never take a risk. Food addiction is different. You have to stay ahead of the game.

Good health is a treasure and should be regarded as such. For those struggling with an eating disorder be it emotional eating, binging or a full-blown food addiction, avoiding lose-lose situations is imperative.

There is more than a positive or negative mental attitude involved here. At some point, we all have to take charge of our health and our lives and decide how we want to live. Only then will we have the life of our dreams.

Air is like so many things we can easily take for granted. I don’t have to worry about my having a food addiction like I used to because I like who I am and I have a plan. Today, part of my plan was missing and I felt like I was back at square one.

Thankfully, the rest of the plan is in place and I’ll be back on track in a couple of days. Wake-up calls are good.

5 Holiday Tips for Emotional Eaters

Dec17

Here are 5 tips to help make your holiday indulgences a little healthier.

1. Use Sea Salt instead of regular table salt to season your food. It is very well balanced with vitamins and trace minerals, which your body needs to maintain a healthy balance.

2. Drink 8-10 glasses of water per day to help keep you hydrated. It will wash away some of the fats from those delicious holiday goodies and can even be good for your blood pressure.

3. Eat 4 stalks of celery per day. Celery acts as a diuretic that promotes the flow of urine through the kidneys. It also relaxes the arteries to reduce blood flow resistance. Great for the blood pressure.

4. Eat half a cup of cranberry sauce a day. Cranberries prevent the oxidation of cholesterol, which as we know increases blood pressure.  The cranberry is a powerful antioxidant and great for your blood pressure.

5. Eat almonds, 25-30 a day. The best choice would be the organic variety. Get the whole ones since most foods begin to decompose once they are cut into. Almonds contain magnesium which relaxes the blood vessels and helps blood pressure return to normal.

Most people experience a lot of stress over the holidays. These are foods you’re going to have around anyway–nuts, cranberry sauce, celery for dips and dressing, and of course water.

Use them to help calm your blood pressure and make your holiday more enjoyable. Most emotional eaters don’t eat when they’re happy and calm. Like food addicts, they  eat when emotions are negative and stress reigns.

Add to your joy this holiday season by honoring yourself and your body. Affirm that you only eat foods that nourish your body. Repeat the affirmation with each bite. It will help you eat well without condemning yourself and your food.