One of the hardest things for an emotional eater to do is to put food down when they’re in the throes of an emotional eating episode.  But if you ever stand a chance of breaking the cycle, it’s critical that you learn how.

In all my years in practice, plus my own life experience itself, I’ve learned that people tend to avoid addressing their emotional imbalances and go straight for the physiological ones first.  Although equally painful, no one wants to feel the sorrow, regret, guilt, shame, anger, or rejection they carry around inside that happened as a result of someone else’s neglect, ignorance or mistreatment, and usually just blame themselves instead.

I mean it’s just easier to fix a broken bone or have surgery, right?  (Believe it or not, that's most people's logic!)

The truth dictates though that [bctt tweet=”whatever you experience physically is a result of what you’re feeling emotionally.”] And there’s no escaping it, no matter how sick you are or how old you get.  Emotional stress is the #1 cause of disease hands down.

However, you’ll rarely hear your doctor tell you that.  Emotional stress is gravely overlooked in our society.  Everyone’s supposed to just “deal with it.”  How they deal with it though can be harmful, and includes substance abuse, including food.

Although food is a normal part of everyday life, it’s no different than cocaine or heroin when someone overeats or binges on it.  It produces the same chemical reaction in the brain that any drug does with overconsumption, which is why so many people’s eating behaviors are compulsive and excessive.

The real catch to it all is that emotional eating is not considered as toxic or as harmful as drug or alcohol abuse.  Yet make no mistake, it surely is.

It may be seem impossible to honor your feelings without food, but it’s definitely an option for anyone willing to do the work.  You have to decide for yourself if it’s worth it to you to put in the effort to overcome repressed emotions that can date as far as back childhood (which they often do). 

And for someone who’s overweight or obese, it should be a mandatory part of any effort to lose weight.

To accomplish what may seem like an overwhelming task, and start to honor your feelings without food, follow these steps:

1. Think before you eat.  If you stop to think for a second before devouring an entire bag of chips, it will likely become obvious why you want to eat so much so fast.  Does your surrounding upset you?  Did you just get in an argument with someone?  What drives the need to eat is an upsetting situation that usually just occurred which triggers a repressed, or unconscious, memory, wherein food soothed you and helped you get though it in the past.  You may not even be reacting to what just happened, but rather what happened years ago.
    
2. Don’t diet.  Dieting, in reality, is just a distraction away from the real issue as to why you’re overweight.  Statistically, less than 1% of people achieving long-term success with weight loss through dieting, which begs the question, why?  If not already obvious, it’s because you’re an emotional eater!  Therefore, don’t diet.  Dieting just puts your body in a state of deprivation anyways which will cause you to overeat eventually.  Figure out which emotions are behind your eating to begin with and start there instead.
    
3. Get support.  I don’t mean your mom, best girlfriend or husband either.  While I’m sure they have your best intentions at heart, they’re not qualified to give you the kind of feedback that will actually jumpstart your personal growth.  In other words, they’ll tell you what you want to hear, not what you need to hear.  Seek professional help, like a coach, particularly one who’s walked in your shoes.  They’re worth their weight in gold when it comes to helping you move past the major emotional hurdles that you haven’t been able to get past yourself. 

Patience has never been more of a virtue than now, as it’s not always easy or quick when it comes to overcoming emotional eating.  However, as a former emotional eater myself, with due diligence, it does happen.  It may not be the fastest route to weight loss, but in the end, it’s the surest way, and will save you from overeating or ever needing to diet ever again.       

PS: Click below to download my free eCourse on how to stop emotional eating!

Love,
Angela

Angela Minelli is an author, speaker and founder of Angela Minelli International, a heart-based global business serving purpose-driven everyday women and entrepreneurs whose self-image and weight issues are inhibiting their confidence and blocking them from pursuing their life’s passion. 

Angela's joy is in taking a stand for women who are living less than ideal lives, stopped by fear and doubt, which prevents them from stepping into their innate power and delivering their God-given genius to the world. Her coaching programs and products are designed for women with busy lifestyles yet allow for powerful transformation to take place within a small segment of time.  

As a natural health practitioner and digestive health specialist, Angela specializes in helping people overcome weight and energy issues through holistic, non-invasive protocols that address the root cause of their conditions, including adrenal fatigue, candida, thyroid disorders, and more.  

Explore the ideals that are the cornerstone of her work at angelaminelli.com.