How To Knock Out Emotional Eating in 3 Easy Steps

Can life really exist without fresh-out-of-the-oven chocolate chip cookies, or salty, crunchy, spicy chips? Is emotional eating part of your routine? Can you imagine finding pleasure in life without food? Having pleasure without guilt? If your answer to one or more of these questions is ‘No’, then most likely you eat when you’re not hungry, and then feel guilty later. The more you eat, the worse you feel about yourself, and the worse you feel about yourself, the more you eat.

Is there a way out of this vicious cycle? Sure. The suggestion below won’t totally end your emotional eating challenge, but it can help a lot. 

Here’s what you do…

Step One

First, get ready to write a list. Put on this list everything you enjoy doing that is not food-related. Include things that give you pleasure, that leave you feeling good about yourself, rather than guilty and dispirited.

Here are just a few possibilities, but use your own interests to make the most realistic list for yourself. Sometimes people come up with things they used to do and loved a long time ago, and always wanted to get back to.

These are some options my clients came up with, and often many people came up with the same idea. 

• Take a walk
• Read a book
• Listen to music
• Play music
• Do some artwork
• Scrapbook
• Put music on and dance
• Do yoga
• Write in your journal

Step 2

Next, prioritize the list by how easily you can do the activity that’s on your list. The easier it is for you to do, the more likely you will be to do it. For example, reading a book is easier to do than doing a watercolor painting where you need time to set up. Or, get your supplies together and have them ready if you really want to do something that requires more setup.

Step 3

Keep your list handy, and your supplies as well. When the thought comes into your mind that you just have to eat those cookies, or ice cream, or chips, or whatever food beckons you, then read the list right away and do something on the list.

 Imagine how good you’ll feel if you enjoyed movement, reading, creating, or whatever else makes you feel good and is also good for you. Imagine going to sleep at night feeling empowered and knowing you were able to relax and have a good time without food. You were in control and still had the pleasure in life that you were seeking. 

Keep repeating Step 3 over and over again whenever food calls out to you. One small step repeated many times creates a whole new habit pattern. And nothing beats pleasure without guilt!