Drop by anytime and feel free to share.

I’m guessing that they don’t stay stuck there like I do. They deal with what sent them into the emotional binge in the first place.

I will come back to these tips when I need to, so I will protect myself from emotional eating as much as I can. It is very likely that, while trying to turn this around, I will still fall back into this well-grooved rut. So, I will not beat up on myself. I will try to do as little damage to myself as possible while working on recognizing sooner, rather than later, what is happening and do something about the “people problem” that sent me to the food.

I expect for a while that I will keep turning to the food; but I will make every attempt for that to be healthy food while it is still happening. I also expect that my falls “into the food” will get farther and farther apart; and last for shorter and shorter periods of time.

Regaining control of your eating behaviours
Although your strong emotions can trigger cravings for food, you can take steps to control emotional eating and those cravings. To help reduce emotional eating, you can try these suggestions:

• Learn to recognise true appetite. 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. Try and monitor your appetite and give the cravings a few minutes to pass.

• Don’t let yourself get too hungry. If you’re not eating enough to meet your energy needs, you may be more likely to give in to emotional eating. Try to eat at fairly regular times and aim for moderate fullness.

• Look elsewhere for comfort. Instead of eating a chocolate bar, take a walk, treat yourself to a movie, listen to music, read a book, or call a friend.

• Don’t keep unhealthy foods around. Avoid having an abundance of high-energy comfort foods in the house. Replace them with low GI options like whole grains, vegetables and fruits, as well as low-fat dairy products and lean protein sources. When you fill up on the healthy options, you’re more likely to feel fuller, longer.

• Exercise regularly and get adequate rest. Your mood is more manageable and your body can more effectively fight stress when it’s fit and well rested.

Remember, if you give in to emotional eating, forgive yourself and start fresh the next day. Try to learn from the experience, and make a plan for how you can prevent it in the future. Focus on the positive changes you’re making in your eating habits and give yourself credit for making changes that ensure better health.

Hope this helps!