More than comfort eating

Picture the scene:

You’ve had a terrible day, you feel tired, miserable, overwhelmed and your best intentions of eating well are in tatters.

You need a way to make things better. To perk you up, calm you down and reassure yourself that it will get easier.

So what do you turn to? Ah yes, the things that will leave you feeling ashamed, disappointed, worn out, maybe even a bit sick. It could be biscuits, chocolate, junk food, cereal, whatever is closest to hand…

If this is a regular pattern, your go-to coping strategy in response to a whole range of emotions, then it’s gone beyond comfort eating, as this article explains. Using food to soothe in this way is really common but can be very destructive, especially if you’re doing your best to lose weight and eat well.

This is something that comes up often with my clients, and it was my “coping” strategy too for a long time.

A more helpful coping strategy

Changing an unhelpful coping strategy for a more effective one is tough, but it can be done. It takes practice and time to un-learn long-held behaviours, but it does get easier (and 1:1 coaching can help).

The first step is to recognise that what you have historically chosen to do isn’t serving you at all and, worse, is bringing you down and holding you back.

Then the next time you find yourself automatically reaching for food, try this: breathe.

Put the brakes on for 10, 20, 30 seconds before you eat, always with the understanding that you have unconditional permission to eat whatever you like. Maybe you’ll eat the food anyway, maybe you’ll have some of it. Perhaps you’ll go back to it later or you might just feel calmer and move on. It’s all good, it’s all practice.

Take your time

We often turn to food to quickly suppress an uncomfortable emotion (anxiety was always a big one for me). If you can, take the time to acknowledge the feeling you’re experiencing. Say it out loud or write it down. Remember that it will pass and that it is ok to be sad, angry, lonely or whatever it is you’re feeling. Sit with it, be calm and remind yourself that those chocolate fingers won’t really make things any better.

What else can I try?

If you could do with some other ideas of food-free strategies that really do work, my e-book “How to Manage Emotional Eating” is definitely worth a look (available here for just £5).

If you’re struggling with the impact of emotional eating, there is specialist support available from the charity Beat Eating Disorders.