Food for Mood - Changing Mood Eating Behaviour
Battling with Mood -
Self Awareness Tools and 10 Strategies that help!
“After years of battling with emotional eating, finally I discovered tools to use for self awareness, self acceptance and a kind to gently but steadily deal with my emotions. I now can allow them expression so that the energy can be released conscious way that helps me think more clearly. I can now see more clearly what is affecting me and consciously work to change the way they impact my emotions have on my eating. I am finally coming to terms with and understanding myself ”
When your mood and resultant cravings are undermining all your efforts to eat healthily and stay fit, some serious action is needed, but kind action. No kicking yourself or shrugging your shoulders isn’t going to do it, but a little acknowledgement of the unsettling event goes a long way!.
This post deals with strategies I use to curve the effects of emotional upheaval on my mood eating behaviours. Here are some of the things I did (today) to combat a serious craving for crisp (level 9 picked up the crisp bought them got them home and opened them. At this point you might think “well eat them already” but I still haven’t eaten them…well not all of them. This is headway and no small fete once they are opened. So what did I do.
Strategies Used to Change Mood Today
- Tell myself, its ok! I can have it BUT I have to eat good food first, or eat good food with it that would go nicely.
- While I prepare the good food, acknowledge the connection to the why. I am craving this food because ….(linking the emotional disturbance or disequilibrium to the craving) this self explanation once practiced comes readily at this point.
- Explain to myself that I deserve this (good) food, because I need extra comfort, and this will nourish me (see nourish and hydrate free download and strategies).
- Throw in craving buster juice (previously discovered)
- Pick a little at the nice food while preparing, adding more little amounts of favourite tasty foods (also just bought)
- Sip at the juice (taste test)..yum…realize how filling it is really! compared to the empty action eating crisp with no nourishment! ..and sip some more.
- Notice or realize that the emotional eating, does not need to be the craved food…(which at this point in the past I would normally have scoffed down, unconsciously trying to drown the emotions) , and wonder if it would be overkill but add some salted nuts to now prepped salad.
- I Notice now the illogical connection between feelings about the food and my emotions, which food would normally only serves to redirect the energy expenditure from my emotionali state a to my stomach to deal with the crap I just ate.
- Suddently I feel good about the healthy choice of meal and realize I wont have room for the junk and feel thirsty
- Drink some water ! …and decide to use the energy on something else more productive and write this blog to re-inforced the positive behaviour so that it has greater and deeper positive associations so that it is more likely to be repeated next time this craving occurs (which of course is exactly what just happened)….Yey!