Why We Eat Too Much & Tips to Regain Control
Have you ever had a day where you found yourself eating much more than is typical for you but you were not very clear on why?
This CNN article on some common reasons people overeat is fairly accurate, plus it sites the science to back up the common pitfalls.
Stress, lack of sleep and weather are scenerios that increase the likelihood that our desire to comfort ourselves outmatches our desire to lose weight and feel healthy.
While recognizing these common instances for “messing up” is important, there is something MORE (much, much MORE!!) important: Use this situation to unload some of the baggage that makes the common pitfall tough for you, and you’re much more likely to unload the weight, too.
I will use myself as an example. I used to crave carbohydrates when I felt tired, but I don’t anymore. Ever. Even thought it is a physiological phenom to do so, per my above referenced article, I have worked through that. Even when I am tired, the food is just the food.
Let’s say that I randomly crave carbs after a sleepless night at some point after this post. Here is what I will do: I will not get mad at myself (this only makes it more likely for me to crave the carbs next time, too – promise) and I won’t arm wrestle myself away from the doughnuts by repeating “You’re just tired! You’re just tired!”.
I will say to myself, “Self, that is so interesting that I am not hungry and want fried dough so badly that I am willing to drive to Six Flags and call in sick at work. I suspect that something more is going on than just being sleepy, and that the sleepiness is making it more likely for whatever is really going on anyway to show its face. What am I feeling right now? What do I think this funnel cake is going to give me?”
It is likely that I am feeling fear, or anxiety masking fear, and that the funnel cake will comfort me temporarily, until I overeat and then berate myself for the rest of the day for doing this. Then, the funnel cake is a tidy distraction from the fear that is going on under the surface.
Here’s the good news: Your feelings cannot hurt you. Let yourself feel them, and then they are gone and so is the compulsive eating.
If the circumstances are such that your fogged out feeding frenzy is more likely, don’t avoid the situation but treat it as a wonderful opportunity to work through the issues that have kept you struggling with your weight.
