So much of the consequences of emotional eating are habits. ‘Habits’ is an innocent sounding word, but many habits are in fact autopilots, patterns of thinking, feeling and behaving that the brain has filed away as automatic responses to what is happening around you. The brain does this for efficiency – imagine if you had to start from scratch every single day having to figure everything out as if for the first time!
However, this efficiency is not always helpful. Your brain has rehearsed thinking constantly about food and your body, worrying about what other people think of you, and internalised automatic habits like refusing invitations, or accepting them but then cancelling for example. With these actions can come a feeling of shame – from ‘I’ve let my friends down’ to ‘I’m too ashamed of my body / myself’. Ironically, the feeling of shame that comes with these automatic habits is often a trigger for emotional eating. So it’s a double whammy – not only do you not get to spend time with the people who like or love you, you compensate for the disappointment in yourself by eating – and the cycle remains in place.
In order to break these autopilots, you must practice thinking and doing things differently. Your brain will never spontaneously give up its autopilots. The brain is just like a muscle, you have to practice/repeat a new pattern in order to build it up. One visit to the gym won’t have any real impact – it takes time. So it is with your brain – you must work at breaking the old habits, and rehearsing new ones until they become your normal.
Is my emotional eating causing me to isolate myself, and miss out on time with friends?
When I refuse or cancel invitations, do I then emotionally eat because I feel bad about it?
Which is more nourishing for me – to isolate myself and spend that time eating, or to go out and spend time with my friends?
This week, say YES to at least one invitation to do something with others, and commit to going. Or you can reach out to someone you haven’t seen in a while and arrange to meet them. This does not have to involve food or drink if that’s a challenge for you.
Can you go for a walk, see a show, go to the cinema or just invite them over to your home for a coffee and catch up?
This Card Deck was developed by Emma Murphy MIACP to help you get to the root of your emotional and binge eating.
Deck Size: 48 Cards
Deck Theme: The Four Energies of Emotional Eating
WATER – SPIRITUAL ENERGY
FIRE – MENTAL ENERGY
AIR – EMOTIONAL ENERGY
EARTH – PHYSICAL ENERGY
Emotional eating and binge eating impacts every area of your life – your feelings, your body, your mind.
Using these cards – daily, every 3-4 days or weekly, you can unpack the complexity that emotional eating has brought to your life, and let go of what no longer serves you.
