What Is Better Than A Sugar High?

Welcome back to Mindful Weighs Wednesday!  This week I want to discuss why we eat.  No, really - how often do you actually pay attention to why?  There are two categories of why we eat - sensations and feelings.  We eat for both reasons, and it is ok - no judgement.  But it is fascinating when you start paying attention to the differences, and becoming aware is an important tool in losing weight. 

Sensations begin in the body and send a signal to the brain like hot, cold, or tired.  Emotions, or feelings start in the brain and send a signal, or a vibration, to the body like lonely, sad or happy.  The better you are able to tell the difference the easier it will be to stop trying to avoid a negative emotion with food.  Take a moment to think about the sensations you have when you are hungry - maybe your stomach feels empty or makes a noise.  Think about the emotions you have when you feel the need to eat - maybe bored, or celebratory.  List them out - typically you will find more in the emotional side vs true sensation of hunger.  The good news is - it is easy to stop over eating.  The tough part comes when you have to find ways to deal with your emotions without using food. 

You can handle any emotion.  You may initially feel deprived because food has been your go to to escape, but really an emotion is harmless.  A feeling is always caused by a thought and understanding this is an important piece.  The thought is telling you what you believe and once you identify that belief, you can begin to decide what to do with it.  You have two options.  First, if you believe life is always supposed to feel good and you should always be happy you will likely continue to buffer with food for pleasure.  The second option is, you can recognize that half of life might feel like ass, and you can manage your emotional mind without trying to escape.  

Take the time to think about what you could be capable of once you start losing the weight and building confidence with yourself.  Imagine the brain energy and time you would have available if you weren’t always thinking about what to eat, or beating yourself up for eating too much.   

The great news is - you can totally do this, and I promise as you make your way through the process you will feel so much better.  Here’s what that means - you trade the short term pleasure of the sugar/flour hit for the pleasure of an amazing life at your ideal weight, fitting into the jeans you dream of.  Period.     

Each week I offer 2 free mini sessions, first come first serve, to women who have had weight loss surgery and find themselves still struggling with food, or have developed a new struggle with overdrinking.  If you want to feel more in control and peaceful  Sign up here, no obligation, to discuss how my program may help you.  Once you sign up you will receive a call in number and appointment reminder.  Some may not be a fit, and that is fine - I consider it a privilege to offer free help in advance.