It can be nearly impossible to achieve your health and
fitness goals if you are overwhelmed by stress and other negative emotions.
Millions of people, especially women fill their lives to the tipping point with
obligations to family, friends, careers and more. When you spend all of your
time focusing on the needs of others it’s easy to find yourself without enough
time or energy to properly take care of yourself.
It doesn’t happen overnight but little by little
responsibilities can pile up until you’re juggling so many balls that you fail
to notice that diet and exercise have become much less of a priority. A few
pounds here and there can add up quickly before you finally realize that the emotional
toll of everyday life is has manifested into a physical problem.
If you are like many Americans, you may turn to food for
comfort or distraction from stress or other destructive emotions. This can easily
turn into a vicious cycle of overeating followed by fasting out of guilt for
doing so.
If you struggle with emotional eating and want to get back
on track toward living a healthier lifestyle you can start by asking yourself
one important question each time you turn to food.
Are
you really hungry?
You may have to retrain your brain in order to learn how to
have a healthy relationship with food. In order to do this you have to
recognize the difference between impulse eating and eating for nutrition. Each
time you reach for a snack, try to make a habit of taking a moment to notice
when and why you are eating. Backtrack through your day and try to identify any
emotional triggers that you may be mistaking for hunger.
Everyone has a different emotional response when it comes to
stress, anger or sadness and you may not even realize what is triggering you to
overeat. Consider what is happening and how you are feeling when you turn to
food. You may be responding to stress, trying to fill a void or looking for
comfort in some small form of momentary satisfaction. Listen to your body and
take note of your physical and emotional state.
Identify and consider your feelings but don’t go too far
and over analyze each moment to your life. The idea here is to become more in
tune with yourself and not to be overly critical of every move you make. Maybe you
had a hard day at work or you’re consumed with family drama. Make an effort to actually
feel your emotions and process them rather than trying to distract yourself
with food. You may come to realize that what you were feeling was not hunger
after all. Once you’re able to see the patterns and triggers that are leading
you to over eat you can learn to make the necessary changes to avoid following
the same path in the future.
Tips
to help you stay on track
Reduce Stress
Less stress equals less emotional eating. Negative emotions
can take both a mental and physical toll. Not only can stress trigger
overeating but it can also cause fatigue and exhaustion. If you can eliminate
unnecessary negativity in your life you are more likely to stick to your diet
and have the energy to exercise on a regular basis.
Be Realistic
Make a plan and set goals that are conducive to your
lifestyle and within your reach. If you set yourself up for failure with
unreasonable expectations you may become quickly discouraged. Start by
committing to a regular exercise schedule or losing that first 5 pounds and keep
track of your progress. Achieving small milestones can help you to stay
motivate to get healthy.
Don’t Starve Yourself
Cutting calories and eating better in no way means that you
should go hungry all the time. Too few calories or not eating all together can
actually lower your metabolism and make it harder to lose weight. If you really
are hungry go for more healthy options and practice portion control to avoid
overeating.
By addressing your emotions and reducing your stress level
you can uncover and alleviate deeper issues that may be sabotaging your
attempts to live a healthier lifestyle. It can be very difficult to be
consistent with your diet and exercise if you are constantly overwhelmed with
negative emotions. By discovering why you’re overeating in the first place and
building a more healthy relationship with food you will be better equipped to
start getting in shape and losing that unwanted weight.
Sources:
http://www.precisionnutrition.com
Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at
FreeDigitalPhotos.net
