Who’s In Charge Now?

As we understand the roles emotion plays in our relationship with food, we become empowered. We have new opportunities to create strong habits that aren’t weighed down by guilt, confusion, and frustration. Time to start taking back your life!

Standing up through emotional eating - Tip #1: Who’s in charge? You! 

Put yourself first. In this day and age, we don’t have time to think about making healthy choices because they take longer. We put everyone else's needs before ours, (shout out to ALL moms out there!) which leaves us no time or energy. Be honest with yourself and those around you. It doesn’t mean you’re selfish, just smart. 

When was the last time you took time for yourself?

Replacing Emotional Eating with Open Eating- Tip #2: Plan ahead. How can having your food plan ready help you?

Make a list of your ‘trigger foods’ so that when you’re stressed or lonely, you know what to avoid. Once you know them, be prepared. Have healthy snacks ready with you at all times. Put fresh vegetables on the counter, in plain sight, and stock the fridge with ready-to-go nutritious foods.

From Emotional to Open Eating- Tip #3: Eat only when you’re hungry.

Make healthy food a lifestyle choice, rather than a temporary diet because dieting deprives you of things you crave which makes you reach for the unhealthy as compensation. But when you stick to eating during times of hunger only, you teach your brain to reduce its cravings. Plus, you’ll start to lose weight. Also, chew thoroughly and really take in every bite.

Emotional to Open Eating Tip #4: Make everything pleasurable.

We often sacrifice pleasure for practicality, and we use food to give us that instant sense of pleasure. But it quickly fizzes and leaves us worse than before. Think of other ways to relieve stress and bring pleasure into your life, like massages, bubble baths, reading, and going out - anything other than food. It’s a good idea to keep busy and fill your calendar with exciting, fun things to do. 

Then, when it comes to food… make that a different kind of pleasurable. If you don’t like certain “healthy” foods, make it an adventure to find recipes, and cooking classes, and learn how these foods CAN taste amazing. You can become your own chef so that foods that support all of those destresser activities like bubble baths and book clubs to their max. Then your food and your life are a blissful blend of awesomeness! 

What recipes have you tried that made something you didn’t like before, better than you thought?

Emotional to Open eating Tip #5: Your success will follow your confidence

Break the mold. Be proud of your beauty and your body. We all could use a little bit more self-love. Even though we blame the media, we’re our own worst enemies when it comes to self-sabotage, hate, and body shaming. Be smart and use food to support and care for your body and point you to your dreams, instead of drowning it in extra calories and shame.