How to Stop Emotional & Overeating

(WITHOUT MORE RESTRICTION)

Two weeks ago, I shared the first in this Emotional Eating Series, "What are You Searching for, is it PEACE or FOOD?"  You can access that first post here sharing the very first place we need to start to unravel this! Please go there first! 
****It’s not a lack of willpower. It’s a nervous system looking for regulation in the fastest way it knows how.****
Then, in Post 2 in this series, I covered the all-time question...WHY do we crave certain types of foods...If you emotionally eat-which is often the very reason we overeat, it’s probably not broccoli you reach for...
It’s something sweet. Or something salty. Or something creamy. Or all three combined. There’s a reason. Read the WHY here in Post 2. 

Now for the TOOLS...here in POST 3.  

How to Stop Emotional & Overeating (Without More Restriction)
Most people try to fix overeating by tightening control. That usually backfires. Here’s what actually works.
One of my best tips if you find yourself in this position after eating and going back for more when you know you are not still hungry but actually searching for peace, is to pause and say, "I am SAFE." Try it. 

1. Eat Enough Earlier

• Prioritize protein by starting day with a high protein breakfast. 
• Balanced meals of carbs, fiber, protein and fat during the day.
• Eat every 3–4 hours.
• Underfueling guarantees night cravings.

2. Build a Pause Practice
First, when the craving or desire to eat when not hungry pops up: 

• Drink water, add an electrolyte power like JUNP or ULTIMA
• Before grabbing more food: Say, "that was yummy, I'm satisfied, I will enjoy more later/tomorrow etc., I'm done." before you get up from the table. Signal the brain that eating is complete.
• Wait 10 minutes. Often intensity drops. Building this window of tolerance helps to build new neural pathways to begin habit change.

3. Close the Kitchen, Move on to another task

• Clean up directly after dinner. Or after any meal or even between meals create activities outside of the kitchen. 
• Move on to another task. Often our brains do not like transitions so we have to build these in and create safety around moving on to another duty. 
• Brush teeth.
• Turn off lights.
• Enjoy Herbal tea as a signal that it is time to wind down. 

4. Regulate Without Food 
(see more on NON FOOD REWARDS in Post 4 and our newsletter next week) 
Try:

• 5-minute walk, sunshine is helpful 
• Box breathing, breath prayers 
• Shower
• Journaling
• Calling someone

5. Allow Planned Dessert

• Structure beats restriction. Plate it, sit down, enjoy. Go back to step 2 and 3 if needed. 
• Two squares of chocolate intentionally eaten is far better than mindless grazing.
• Overeating thrives in chaos. If cutting out everything you love is creating more chaos, then strategically enjoying what you have deemed "bad" may be the best tool you can use vs overeating on everything around the brownies only to end up at the brownies...I get it! I have learned! And chances are, you may decide you really don't even want some of those foods because you have now made it ok to have! 

With LOVE & STRENGTH, Missy