Tag Archive | Feelings

Food Addiction is Painful

Nov24

I read a quote tonight that caught my eye. Unfortunately, the author was unknown so I can’t give credit where credit is due.

This is the quote: “Pain is inevitable: suffering is optional.” What a great statement. While pain can be physical or emotional, suffering is always emotional.

By using food to stuff down our feelings, we choose suffering. Food addiction and emotional eating each create their own kind of pain. Self-rejection and shame jumpstart the suffering.

Acceptance and forgiveness do wonders to short-circuit a food addiction.  Since that dynamic duo sometimes doesn’t come from family and friends, it’s up to you to make them work for you.

Rescue yourself from a triggering event by accepting the situation in the moment, embracing it, and then letting it go.  Then forgive yourself for thinking that you have to be perfect to be worthy of acceptance. You’re worthy just the way you are.

Acceptance will help you deal with the pain. Forgiveness will teach you how to end the suffering.

Finding the Right Therapist to Help You With Your Food Addiction

Nov23

Food addiction is usually tied to some deeply rooted emotional trauma. I say usually only to give the benefit of the doubt.  Personally, I’ve never seen a case that wasn’t.

In my own experience, I have found that a psychotherapist can be a great resource.  When you are ready to delve into that dark place and retrieve the faceless memory that is sabotaging your abundance, talking with a professional can be very helpful.

The new moniker is “talk therapist”  which I suppose does sound better then “psychotherapist”.  But don’t let the generic term fool you. There is nothing small about talking your feelings out.

I prefer a psychologist, a Ph.D. because of their educational background, but a licensed mental health counselor can do a good job too, and at a more economical rate. It can be a tough decision, but the key is finding someone with whom you feel comfortable.

Here are three things to consider:

1. Education and Background:  Where did they go to school? How long have they been practicing? What is their specialty? Do they have experience working with people with food addictions?

2. Location: Is the office close, comfortable and convenient? This is important because you will be spending time there unraveling and and reweaving parts of your life, which may be painful.

3. Do they instill a sense of trust? This is the most important consideration of all. If you are to discover or uncover the hidden feelings behind your food addiction, trust must be the basis of the relationship.

That said, go at your own pace. You’ll have to take some risks. You didn’t contract your food addiction overnight and it won’t go away overnight. And that’s okay.

Risks are a part of life. Just seeking a solution for a food addiction or an emotional problem that has led to a weight problem, is a big risk. Good on you for taking it.

Weight Loss Becomes More Challenging With Age

Nov15

It gets harder to lose weight as we age. Habits that were formed in earlier years, even a few years earlier, can be difficult to break.

Food addiction forms habits, like overeating, eating when you’re feeling angry, tired, or depressed, and eating when you’re stressed. Since feelings are linked to compulsive overeating, just changing what you eat isn’t enough.

It starts out simple enough. Go to bed a little later each night. Snack while waiting on hold too long. Trade in your daily walk for hours in front of the TV. Eat when there’s nothing better to do.

Normal aging changes the body. Things slow down. What we used to be able to get away with doesn’t fly any more. We don’t burn fat like we did when we were younger, so those few extra pounds are harder to lose.

It’s hard to get your weight back to normal, whatever that means, until you get yourself back to normal, whatever that means. Normal is up to you.

We all get older. There’s no way to stop that. But you can teach an old dog new tricks. If you want to beat a food addiction, you need to learn a few new tricks.

1. Think of yourself. Make yourself important enough to put first. Pamper yourself with non-food treats as often as you can afford to. It may be a new experience, but it’s a good one.

2. Make eating a one-of-a-kind event. Don’t mix it with something else like talking on the telephone or watching TV, or driving.

3. Get out of the house. Go for a walk, even if it’s at one of those warehouse stores. Swing your arms and stretch out and move your body. Leave your money in your car.

You don’t have to do everything at once. It doesn’t work anyway. Take one new thing at a time, and work on it until it becomes a habit.

There is no reason in the world why someone in their 40’s, 50’s, or older can’t have a body they’re thrilled with, no matter what anyone tells you about getting older.

You just have to be ready to do the work.  When you are ready, you can change your life from one of that is ruled by food to one that is ruled by you.

Are you ready?

Food, Feelings, and Holidays

Nov14

The holidays are just around the corner. There will be a lot of eating going on between now and the first of the year.

So what kind of advice will you be listening to this time around? Whatever it is, try not to take it too seriously.

Of all the times to worry about overeating, the holidays are not the time. They are meant to be happy times and there is always food.

You can’t escape it so you might as well relax and enjoy the food, festivities, and the feelings that the holiday season brings.

Remember, food addictions make you stuff down feelings. While the holidays can be stressful, there is no need to favor the stress over the joy of the season.

What can you do? Besides eat, that is. Having some fun is always a good idea. Get some extra rest, relax with a holiday movie. There are quite a few good ones and many are on TV now.

Cook or bake something. Your house will smell spicy and warm. You won’t have to worry about all the extra sugar and fat because all the best recipes don’t require all that junk. And there’s nothing like homemade cookies, pies, and breads.

Get to sleep early or take naps. Don’t let fatigue trick you into eating when you are actually sleepy and not really hungry.

Laugh as much as possible. It’s great for the stomach muscles. Check out fat blockers and enzymes at the health food store to help you deal with the richer foods.

Drink plenty of water. Get outside in the fresh air. Walk, jog, play on the swings in the park. Do something. Do everything but think about food addictions and emotional eating, and how much weight you have to lose.

Most of all, be happy. Everyone can think of something to be grateful for and happy about. Everyone. And nobody ever stuffs down happiness.