Our bodies and minds do not operate in siloes. They’re connected in ways most people don’t even realize. The food we eat fuels our bodies and our brains. What we consume can affect more than the size and shape of our bodies and our physical health – it can also affect the way we think and feel.
Similarly, emotional perspective and attitude can have an impact upon the ability to handle being overweight, make lifestyle changes, and achieve weight loss goals. Having a positive attitude about health and weight loss goes a long way. When someone believes they can accomplish something, they’re more likely to do it. And if they have serious doubts about their ability to achieve goals, they’re less likely to be successful.
The good thing about attitude is that it’s largely within your control. While there are mental health conditions that can make it difficult to maintain a positive attitude, generally speaking, most people are able to change their thought patterns and attitudes.
Having a positive attitude is important in any weight loss journey. As is being willing and able to look inside yourself to find out what emotional blocks you may have to making the behavior changes necessary to transform your health and weight.
Eating for comfort – Why some people use food as a coping mechanism
Eating is a common coping mechanism. Certain foods trigger the pleasure centers in the brain, which in turn release feel-good chemicals. But that good feeling doesn’t last long. And if your primary motivation for eating in the first place is to fill an emotional void rather than a physical one, you’re more likely to gain weight.
Emotional eating can be a vicious cycle. You eat to feel better, but then you feel guilty for eating and the negative emotions are compounded. The food hasn’t improved the emotions that prompted you to eat in the first place, and the guilt and self-loathing that comes along with emotional eating makes you feel worse.
One of the first steps in overcoming emotional eating is to recognize that you do it. Think about what makes you eat. Do you usually eat only when you’re actually hungry, or do you eat when you’re stressed, sad, angry, or anxious? Do you subscribe to the theory that eating a pint of ice cream will help you get over a break up or drinking alcohol will make you feel better after a frustrating day at work? Do you eat or drink anything because you feel like you need it to cope with any emotion? If you answered yes to any of those questions, you may be an emotional eater. That’s okay. You’re in good company. Many of us use food as a coping mechanism. But if you want to improve your health – both physical and emotional – it’s a good idea to recognize that you have a problem and then take an active part in changing your behaviors.
Once you’ve realized that you want to change, the next step is to find health professionals who can help you. Your doctor should be able to recommend a psychologist or counselor who specializes in helping people who either use food for comfort or have deeply ingrained food habits that were learned during childhood.
Finally, you want to find a therapist you like and feel comfortable with. It’s important that you feel safe and supported. A good mental health provider will let you know that emotional eating doesn’t make you weak or wrong. He or she won’t judge you or make assumptions about who you are or why you do what you do. Rather, your therapist will listen to you and ask questions to get to know you and your triggers so the two of you can develop a plan to reach your goals.
Activities that can lead to overeating
Many of us overeat without even thinking about it. Several activities increase the likelihood that you’ll overeat:
- Eating while watching TV or using a computer
- Limiting yourself to one meal per day
- Eating at your desk, in bed, or on the sofa – anywhere but at the table really
- Eating directly from a food container, like a bag of chips or a box of cookies
- Eating when bored
Mindful eating
Mindful eating involves becoming aware of why, when, and where you eat and then developing healthier eating habits. Practicing mindful eating gives you the opportunity to listen to your body and mind so you can understand what’s motivating you to eat. It helps you identify the difference between feeling hungry and feeling the desire to eat for other reasons. Part of mindful eating is becoming aware of your emotional triggers that may lead you to making unhealthy choices in what you eat or drink.
One of the keys to mindful eating is to eat only when it’s your primary activity. In other words, don’t eat while watching television, playing a video game, driving, or doing anything that requires your attention. When you eat during other activities, you’re less likely to realize how much you’re eating, and you’re also robbing yourself part of the pleasure of eating. You may also continue to eat long after you’re full, which tends to lead to excessive calorie consumption.
When you practice mindful eating, you give yourself the time and space to really savor each bite, and you make it easier for your mind and body to recognize when you’ve had enough.
Here are some tips to help you eat more mindfully.
- Start listening to your body. Understand if you’re really hungry or if there is an emotional component to your desire to eat or drink.
- Eat at a dining table.
- Set the mood by limiting distractions and chaos. Eating in a calm atmosphere helps you enjoy the process of eating.
- Consider being grateful for your food. This could be in the form of a prayer or just thinking about how the food got to your table – from the farm to the store to your kitchen to your plate.
- Give yourself time to eat rather than eating while rushing from one activity to another.
- Take small bites and chew slowly. Notice the different flavors and textures of your food.
- Put your fork or spoon down between every bite. This will encourage you to eat slowly and consume fewer calories.
- Wait for a few minutes between helpings. It takes time for your body to recognize that it has enough food to satisfy hunger. If you eat second helpings before your body knows it’s full, you are more likely to overeat.
- Avoid the trap of the clean plate club. Many people were raised to eat everything on their plate. That is one of the reasons so many people struggle with eating too many calories and gaining weight. If you know you have this trigger, focus on putting smaller portions on your plate so if you do feel the need to eat everything in front of you, you won’t be overdoing it.
Mental health treatment and weight loss
For many people, the struggle to maintain a healthy weight goes hand in hand with the struggle to cope with the emotions of every day life. Anxiety, depression, fear, anger, frustration, boredom, sadness, and the whole gamut of emotions can trigger overeating, drinking too much, or being sedentary.
One of the keys to overcoming the emotional aspect of overeating is to realize there’s a connection and take steps to address emotions in a healthier way. A psychologist or therapist can help you uncover your emotional triggers and develop strategies to cope with them. They can guide your lifestyle changes and even help you manage your weight.
Your therapy sessions may focus on helping you understand your own attitudes about food and the habits you’ve developed throughout your life that may be hampering your weight loss or keeping you from achieving other goals. Your therapist may spend time talking about your childhood, your family’s eating habits, and your history of using food as a coping mechanism. He or she can then offer practical advice to help you identify your triggers and substitute healthier ways of coping with them.
Some psychologists and therapists may also want to evaluate you for mental health conditions, such as eating disorders, anxiety, or depression.
Your treatment plan may include behavior modification. You will learn how to take control of your thoughts and the actions that have historically followed. You’ll learn substitute behaviors. And you’ll work toward building healthy habits and making lifestyle choices that are in sync with your weight and health goals.
To ensure you’re doing your part, your therapist may ask you to keep a food diary or to journal about your feelings and emotions. The goal there would be to give you and your therapist a realistic idea of how much you eat and when, where, and why you eat. Getting to the bottom of those questions can help you understand what you can do to make healthier choices in the future.
Remember, first and foremost, you can do this. You can reach your weight loss goals. It won’t be easy, and it won’t happen overnight, but you can do it. There’s no shame in asking for help. Seeing a doctor for medical weight management, working with a nutritionist to understand what types of food are best for you, or having sessions with a psychologist to address your mental health are all excellent ways to take control of your health and achieve your goals. No one has to go it alone. Beaumont has experts available to help you lose weight and transform your life, and they’re ready to start working with you today.
To find out more about the psychological aspects of obesity or to make an appointment with a Beaumont specialist, call 800-633-7377. We are here to help.