When our emotions get the best of us!

I think in my last year and a bit of focusing on clean eating I have discovered that we all have foods that tempt us ... that is foods that make us think ... "oh one won't hurt me" .. and before you know it the whole bag of chips is gone ... foods that have an emotional tie ... foods that initially taste so good that we feel a sense of happiness eating them - maybe it's the emotional tie to your Grandmother's fudge cake.

For me food has always had an emotional connection. Think about it.... during some of your happiest days and memories -  Christmas, weddings, birthdays, baby showers there is ALWAYS food as one of the key components of the celebration. I hate this about food and how it has done this to us!!! I recall the break-up of my first serious boyfriend .. my girlfriends came armed with a 2 litre container of ice cream in hand. We ate it ... and somehow at the time .. it made me feel food (although I know now this was not the answer). I recently read that 75% of overeating is caused by emotions (depression, loneliness and boredom).... Bad food is everywhere and the days of eating because you're sad .. eating because you're bored .. or eating because you're lonely .. need to stop!! Check out this comic .. who's been there? I know I have ...

I wanted to celebrate a moment for myself in which I was not that person that ate ice cream because I was sad. On this particular day I was upset about something - can't even remember what. All I wanted to do was go into the kitchen and eat, but I wasn't hungry. I stopped myself right by the kitchen cupboards and instead I picked up the broom and starting sweeping .. I kept sweeping .. more and more .. and my time, energy and thoughts were now devoted to cleaning up instead of what food I could eat that I didn't really need. This worked for me and I was proud :)


I have found success in dealing with the stress of work in a different way than I once would as well. There was nothing I would liked more than to sit in front of the T.V with a pop and popcorn or tostitoes immediately after a rough day at work.  Now I instead put my energy and efforts into a great work-out. Trust me when I say it feels sooo much better than the taste of those unnecessary calories that you are letting your emotions control. 


Next time your emotions are getting the best of you and you crave food - pick up a broom .. head out for a run or go to the gym. Trust me when I say in the end you will be happy you did it ...