Re: Article -- Coping with Head Hunger

[Guest guest]

WOW Jeanne, thanks so much for posting that article. It really hit home. I love

that paragraph:

The food you eat to deal with feelings comes with strings attached—weight gain

and regret. But more importantly, when you eat to make them go away, you don't

have the opportunity to discover and satisfy your true needs. SINCE EATING

CANNOT MEET YOUR EMOTIONAL NEEDS, THOSE UNMET NEEDS TRIGGER OVEREATING AGAIN AND

AGAIN.

Wow. Just wow.

Kayla

>

> Although it is long, I just wanted to share this article and hope others find

it as interesting and helpful as I did.

> Jeanne

>

> Coping with Head Hunger

>

> By May, M.D.

>

> Do you sometimes confuse " head hunger " with physical hunger?

>

> Sometimes I want a brownie really means I want pleasure, I need comfort, I

deserve a reward, or I wish I could tell you how I really feel.

>

> Food and Feelings

>

> Perhaps you sometimes eat to cope with stress, distract yourself from

difficult emotions, or stuff down feelings you don't know how to express in a

healthier manner.

>

> However, boredom, anger, anxiety, loneliness, stress, and other feelings are a

natural part of our lives and eating won't make them go away. In fact, eating

disconnects you from important information about what you really need.

>

> The food you eat to deal with feelings comes with strings attached—weight gain

and regret. But more importantly, when you eat to make them go away, you don't

have the opportunity to discover and satisfy your true needs. Since eating

cannot meet your emotional needs, those unmet needs trigger overeating again and

again.

>

> The way to break out of this pattern is to stop judging yourself when you

overeat and instead try to figure out what you needed that drove you to eat when

you weren't physically hungry. Examining your current eating behavior can be a

powerful source of information about your inner self and your true needs and

wants.

>

> Some ideas for exploring your emotional triggers include journaling, talking

with a friend or counselor, expressing yourself through creative outlets like

painting or music, praying and meditating, even screaming into a pillow.

>

> Once you've identified the emotions that triggered your desire to eat, seek

ways to comfort, nurture, and redirect yourself without turning to food.

Examples include reading, gardening, exercising, scrapbooking, and anything else

you find enjoyable and calming. Find out how to download this one-page handout,

" 101 Things To Do Instead of Eating When You're NOT Hungry " . Highlight the

activities that appeal to you and add some of your own. Keep your list and any

necessary supplies handy and make a commitment to try one for a few minutes

before eating when you're not hungry.

>

> By learning to recognize and cope more effectively with your head hunger,

you'll begin to break free from old, problematic habits. You'll find yourself

eating less, feeling more satisfied, and meeting your needs more appropriately:

> When I'm hungry, I eat what I love.

> When I'm bored, I do something I love.

> When I'm lonely, I connect with someone I love.

> When I feel sad, I remember that I am loved.

>

> Your thoughts....

> What are your emotional triggers for eating? How do to cope with them?

>

> May, M.D., a physician and recovered yo-yo dieter, is the founder of

Am I Hungry?® Mindful Eating Program and the award-winning author of Eat What

You Love, Love What You Eat: How to Break Your Eat-Repent-Repeat Cycle. Download

the first chapter of Eat What You Love now for free.

>