Do whatever it takes.

Resist the urge to feel good now.

No one likes to feel anxious, angry, sad, scared, or confused. No one enjoys an uncomfortable emotion when they are in the middle of it. Many people eat when their emotions are uncomfortable.

Rather than feeling sad on Mother's Day, because you suffered the loss of a child, you buy a half gallon of ice cream and eat as much as you can.

Rather then feeling angry at your boss for refusing your request to take leave for your family reunion, you crunch on potato chips, even if you feel ill afterwards.

Consider learning to sit with unpleasant emotions rather than eating over them, and watch your ability to master your overeating unfold.

Action for the day: Find a resource to help you begin to learn how to deal with emotional eating. Search the internet, get a book from the library, call a therapist, or attend an Overeaters Anonymous meeting. Do whatever it takes to address this issue in your life.

(c) 2006 Pink Sky, Inc. All rights reserved.

Nice post!! And so true.

I knew I was an emotional eater, but it wasn't really until my doctor said something about me "possibly being depressed" and using food to self-medicate.  It's funny - even though I am aware of it, it is still my first instinct - to reach for food when I am upset, stressed or just plain tired!!

I have actually started counselling.  I don't know if it has helped yet or not, but it certainly feels good to get things off my chest that I have never said or admitted to anyone else EVER.

Hi 4mygirls -  for getting counselling to help - if it feels good then it must being doing some good.

I went for psychotherapy two years ago and I'm thrilled at how much it helped me. I only had to go for a few months, but it made a huge difference. I hope your  therapy is as effective.

Hi Molly, that's a great post and so true. It's so important to find other outlets instead of using food - going for a walk, talking to someone who listens and has good advice, doing something creative like painting, read a good book etc.

I also never realized how much my addiction to food also played into this problematic behavior - when I stopped eating industrial processed food, I lost the cravings and mindless eating and noticed that I didn't automatically turn to food like I did in the past.

Molly, how have you been handling your emotional eating? I find sometimes I need to stop and allow myself to actually feel those feelings, allow them to wash over me and not hide from them - even if it's painful.

It is a work in progress but I am getting there.  It hard for me to let my self feel the emotions and not to turn to food.  But I definitely am getting there becaue I am mindful of when I reach for food and I just ate and I am really not hungry.  BTW-  Keep up the good work!!

So true.....don't blame others and do whater it takes to take control!!!

Think I've been on face book too much, I'm searching for a "like" button when I know good and well there is none!ha  

I love it!