Sometimes I Eat My Feelings

Yes, you read that correctly. Sometimes I eat my feelings. How about you?

We feel sad, so we eat food that soothes us. We feel like celebrating, so we eat food that delights us. We are bored or lonely, so we eat chips.

Sometimes a glass of wine pairs up with the food and we consume a nice neat package of emotions that leaves us feeling…

…a bit guilt-ridden?

We eat our feelings.   

Why, just this week Mr. Non-Compliant walked in the door after a very full day and exclaimed, “I deserve a bowl of ice cream!”

He had experienced an extremely busy day and felt that he deserved a reward.

I had some too, so that he wouldn’t have to eat alone. Frankly, we both felt like eating ice cream, so we did.

There were no sad or bad feelings, although I’m sure he was tired.

We are masters at justifying our reasons for eating. Instead of looking for ways to excuse our behavior, what if we MANAGED our eating habits?

Even when we’re emotionally wrecked.

Here’s an experiment for you to try. Next time you hear yourself justifying why you need to eat the ________________, consider how you feel. Are you happy, sad, bored, or hungry?

Becoming aware of your emotions—becoming conscious of your relationship with food–leads to better management.

It may not change anything at first. Managing your emotions and food takes practice.  

There are times when we’re going to drown our sorrows by eating the cake. I don’t mean a modest piece of amazing cake; I mean an ENTIRE cake that’s not even that good.

There’s a difference. Management.   

The more you are in tune with the behaviors that are not serving you, the better equipped you are to make healthier choices.

Honor where you are in the moment. Sometimes eating your feelings is the answer. Maybe you can get away with one piece of cake, instead of the entire thing.

And let the guilt go.

Much love,
Carol 

P.S. Some of you have made tomato pie, and I applaud you for trying something new! If you missed my Facebook live with recipe tips, you can see it on my Inkwell Healthy Lifestyles FB page. 

“It’s not what you eat, it’s how you feel when you eat it.”—Abraham Hicks