Diary of a Nutritionist

Eating for Comfort, or Emotional Eating:  Using food, or the lack of food, to deal with stress, fear, anxiety, frustration, anger, sadness, or to fill a void, etc.

Emotional Eating is often associated with overeating (although, under-eating can certainly play a part in ones emotions).

Most everyone has dealt with emotional eating, on some level, and with the plethora of junk food that is now readily available, it can be very easy to hide amongst, what most magazines like to call, “comfort” food. Comfort food can mean different things, to different people.  To many, it is a bag of chips, buttered popcorn, chocolate cake, or a pint of ice cream.  Or…If you are Rachel Ray, it may be mac and cheese, or hearty beef tacos, and sour cream. Regardless of its appearance, people eat “comfort” foods to temporarily feel comfort… unfortunately, it usually leaves us feeling “blah,” moments later.

There are two types of comfort food in my book:

1.  The unhealthy kind, or The Tricks.  These foods trick us into thinking it is “o.k.” to indulge in them, because we feel that we “deserve” it.

or…

2.  The Real Treats, the other comfort foods that can we can munch away on, and no, they don’t solve our problems, but we can feel “good” about enjoying them (or at least, don’t feel worse).

How do we decipher the Tricks from the Treats?

The “wrong” type of comfort food, (or the Tricks), usually have similar traits…

• Typically, they are very high in sugar
• They are high in cooked fats (like hydrogenated oils, peanut and soybean oil, milk products, or cream, etc.), and/or are high in saturated fats (other than the ones from plants sources, like coconut, or avocado).
• They are fried, or greasy.
• They are extremely high in sodium, and/or they are processed.
• These Tricks also usually contain a large amount of ingredients (many of which, we cannot pronounce). The fewer the ingredients, the better.  The more natural ingredients, the better.
• They never make us satisfied, and we always want more…

These comfort foods are Tricks because they only elevate our mood temporarily (and generally only when one is actually consuming them).  Not that eating for comfort ever solved anyone’s problems, but these are the worst foods to drown one’s sorrows in.

Why?  A healthy, happy, body does not want these foods in it. The body is an incredibly intelligent mechanism, designed to live a long, happy life.  It has no use for foods that weaken the immunity.  These foods only add to the stress that our body is under (be it, emotionally, or physically).

How do we break the debilitating effects of emotional eating, and stop reaching for the Tricks?

Successfully overcoming emotional eating means having to deal with the feelings of stress, fear, anxiety, frustration, anger, sadness, loss of control, or emptiness, that are affecting us, in the first place.  The underlying issues.  Obviously, if we were emotionally capable of quickly, and simply, dealing with the underlying issues, we wouldn’t be sucking down a bag of greasy chips in the first place.  So… we can start by beginning to break the cycle of emotionally eating, in itself…

Beginning to break the patterns of emotional eating can shed light on the underlying issue, or issues.  Someone is going to be less likely to turn to food for comfort, if they are feeling good about themselves, and not feeling confined to a pattern of consumption (or lack of consumption), that only leaves them feeling “empty”.  Often time we just need that little push, to start heading in a more positive direction… positivity, attracts more positive situations.

Switching our thought process, can change the way we view comfort food.

Tips for dealing with Comfort Eating, or the consumption of sugary, fatty, and processed foods:

I often see clients that eat a cookie to “treat” themselves, after a long day, or because they feel connected, or “closer” to the person who baked the cookies.  If you find yourself in this “rut,” ask yourself these questions:

• Is it a treat if it leaves you feeling guilty after you consume it?  Is it a treat if it takes you farther away from your goal to lose weight, or increase your energy, improve your mood, or feel, and be healthier?

Nope!

…Because if you take a moment to think about it…. What are a few moments of “bliss,” if it leaves you feeling low, and farther away from your goal?

A Treat is something that you can feel liberated having.  It is something that you can say, “Aha! I like that, and I can have it!” It is NOT something that makes you say, “Damn!  Why did I do that?” Even better, it does not pull you away from your goal.

- A Treat could be the ability to go out, and have a glass of wine with your pals, or to enjoy a giant helping of one of these chocolate pudding recipes, or goat cheese, or REAL olive oil, on your salad.  Sure, it may be rich and “fatty,” but combined well, it won’t undo all of the good you have done.  Why?  Because it is au natural… unlike those 0-Cal pudding packs, that leave you unsatisfied, and wanting more, and more, more…

Quit, while you are ahead…

Tip 1. If you go to reach for something “bad,” ask yourself why you are reaching for it?  It could be that your cold, and looking for comfort, or looking to fill a void.  Or!  It could be that you’re THIRSTY!  The first step is recognition.  Sounds funny, but it is so true.

Can you go for one day without your daily candy bar, or bag of chips?

I bet you can– make a game out of it.

If you are cold, try making this hot chocolate recipe.  If you are craving fat, try this sweet guacamole recipe, and dip vegetable slices into it!  Take a hot bubble bath, or shower.  Get out of the house, or apt!  Go for a walk, instead.  Call a friend.  Make a “To Do” List- they always seem to motivate me.  Drink a fresh carrot juice- it is energizing, and harmless!  Do something else, to keep your mind off of those chips, that seem to be calling your name… I can guarantee you that the food is not the solution.  But if you want to nibble on something… try something harmless like carrots, dipped in salsa…(sugary, crunchy… and if you hate carrots, they will only remind you that you are really not that hungry).

Tip 2. Now here is a big one… DO NOT BUY IT.  What good are those chips, and ice cream, going to do for you if they are in your kitchen?  Nothing.  No good.  Just say no to junk… while you are in the grocery store.  Quit while you are ahead.

Tip 3. Don’t wear sweats when you eat.  They are comfy, and you’ll just keep saying… “oh, just one more bite.” Unless your cuddling by the fire, or reading a book in bed, pajamas and sweats are not something you should spend your day in.  They make you feel lazy, and want to eat “lazy” food.  I am not saying you should wear a corset, or your tightest jeans… but really, don’t wear those sloppy sweats, when eating…

Tip 4. Get positive support.  Whether it is working with a nutritionist, or just talking to a healthy friend, surrounding yourself, with the healthy people you admire, is a great way to encourage healthy behavior.  Whatever you do, do not call your Debbie downer friend.  Debbie will only give you the “okay” to indulge.  Debbie is draining, and brings us down.

~-~

These are just a few tips… how do you deal with emotions, and food?  What are you favorite healthy comfort foods?  How do you get out of a emotional eating funk?