Contemplation

While writing my post yesterday, the idea of addiction came up and I have been thinking about it ever since. Am I really addicted to food? Is that why it so hard for me to get it together?

Eating to me has always felt like a chore. I never know what I want to eat, then I have to either cook it or go get it, and then I would have to actually eat it. Way too much work! However when I am stressed, or sad, or bored I have no problem with going to find and/or get me something to eat. So what does this mean? Is emotional eating synonymous with having a food addiction?

I was speaking with a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor (LCDC) today, and he was explaining some things to me about addiction. Of course with every fact he gave me I had a reason as to why it didn’t apply to me. After going around and around for about five minutes, I started paying attention to what I was saying. Then he hit me with the Motivational Interviewing (MI). Now I don’t sit in on the MI trainings, and he’s been doing this a whole lot longer than I have, so of course I could be wrong. But from what I have looked up, a person in contemplation is aware a problem exists and seriously considers, action, but has not yet made a commitment to an action. That is so me! I have identified the issue, and I am not in denial.

I really need to get to the bottom of this. Moving forward on the right path will be virtually impossible if I can't get to the bottom of this. Identifying the issue is not good enough; I have to do something about it. Scheduling a daily meeting with Mr. LCDC, for some additional MI, sounds like a plan to me.

Also, the Mayo Clinic posted some great tips on how to stop emotional eating. Check it out…Weight-loss help: Gain control of emotional eating

Tame your stress. If stress contributes to your emotional eating, try a stress management technique, such as yoga, meditation or relaxation.

Have a hunger reality check. Is your hunger physical or emotional? If you ate just a few hours ago and don't have a rumbling stomach, you're probably not really hungry. Give the craving a little time to pass.

Keep a food diary. Write down what you eat, how much you eat, when you eat, how you're feeling when you eat and how hungry you are. Over time, you may see patterns emerge that reveal the connection between mood and food.

Get support. You're more likely to give in to emotional eating if you lack a good support network. Lean on family and friends or consider joining a support group.

Fight boredom. Instead of snacking when you're not truly hungry, distract yourself. Take a walk, watch a movie, play with your cat, listen to music, read, surf the Internet or call a friend.

Take away temptation. Don't keep supplies of comfort foods in your home if they're hard for you to resist. And if you feel angry or blue, postpone your trip to the grocery store until you're sure that you have your emotions in check.

Don't deprive yourself. When you're trying to achieve a weight-loss goal, you may limit your calories too much, eat the same foods frequently and banish the treats you enjoy. This may just serve to increase your food cravings, especially in response to emotions. Let yourself enjoy an occasional treat and get plenty of variety to help curb cravings.

Snack healthy. If you feel the urge to eat between meals, choose a low-fat, low-calorie snack, such as fresh fruit, vegetables with fat-free dip, or unbuttered popcorn. Or try low-fat, lower calorie versions of your favorite foods to see if they satisfy your craving.

Get enough sleep. If you're constantly tired, you might snack to try to give yourself an energy boost. Take a nap or go to bed earlier instead.

Seek therapy. If you've tried self-help options but you still can't get control of your emotional eating, consider therapy with a professional mental health provider. Therapy can help you understand the motivations behind your emotional eating and help you learn new coping skills. Therapy can also help you discover whether you may have an eating disorder, which is sometimes connected to emotional eating.