Are you about to mindlessly or habitually or emotionally eat?

We have all used food as a way to cope with stress at one time or another. There will never be a totally stress-free time in your life. The key is to identify the things that are making you feel pressured, sad, angry, or anxious.

Once we have identified our emotional triggers, we can break the cycle and start getting back in control of when, why, and how we eat!

Identifying Your Emotional Triggers:

The best way to identify your own emotional triggers is through internal examination. Facing your issues by bringing them out of your subconscious and into your conscious reality is the most empowering thing you can do. The DailyFeedback will help you with this. If you eat something unhealthy that will hurt our progress towards our goal write down the emotional circumstances surrounding this choice. (Ex., My boss is an a**hole, my friend didn’t call me back, I hate my boyfriend, etc.)

From now on, every time you go to eat something unhealthy, I want you to stop and ask yourself the following questions so that we can pinpoint the psychological and emotional conditions that are triggering your unhealthy eating habits. And if you do give in that’s okay! It’s all about progress. No such thing as perfection.

Write the reasons down on the DailyFeedback so you can't push them to the back of your mind when you're done.

1. Am I hungry?

Is your stomach growling? Do you feel weak or tired? Has it been longer than three or four hours since you last ate? It is not hard to determine whether you are genuinely physically hungry or whether you are eating for a different reason. Real hunger doesn’t come on suddenly. It’s gradual. If you've answered these questions and determined that you are hungry, then eat. If not, then go to the next question.

2. Am I depressed or anxious?

Did you just get into a fight with someone? Are you anxious about a work or school related deadline? Whatever it might be, write down in detail what you feel and why you think you are feeling it in the comments section on the Daily Feedback.

If you don't get in touch with your emotions and their cause, you will continue to stumble along.

3. Can I find a way to address whatever emotions I have uncovered in an appropriate way rather than suppressing those emotions with food?

For example, if you had an argument with your friend, can you call him/her to talk it through? If you are feeling anxious about a work or school related deadline, can you work on the project to make yourself feel more on top of it?

If you can rectify the issue in the moment by acting on it directly and positively, do it! Facing these kinds of problems is very difficult. It's always easier to try and numb yourself with food. But once you deal with your problems it always feels awesome and it’s much healthier than eating your problems.

Once you begin to look behind your behavior and analyze your feelings, it becomes easier and easier. It is also very possible that you will not have the means to resolve an issue or a situation at the exact moment that it is triggering you to behave self-destructively. Next question.

4. How can I turn this problem into an opportunity?

Maybe you've recently ended a relationship with a long-term bf/gf. Maybe you've been fired from a job. Instead of seeing these kinds of situations as permanent blows to your self-esteem, look at them in a different light.

Admit that you are in a lot of pain right now, but perhaps the relationship had been over for a while and there is someone better out there for you.

Or tell yourself that losing your job does not change the fact that you are a smart, capable person who will have plenty of other offers in the future. Stay positive. Stay strong through the low moments. Try to find meaning and instruction in the pain. Every ending is a new beginning! Again, look at what you do have. Not at what you don’t have!