How come food is such a default way to cope with whatever life throws your way?
The knowledge piece around food isn’t a problem. Most of us just know; you recognize that spinach or apple have more nutrition than cookies…right?
It’s a lack of follow-through, especially when things feel stressful and too much. You’re tensed, pulled in too many directions. Kids drive you mad at home, and you find yourself cleaning jam and PB mix off the sofa and at the same time typing a list of things to get for dinner. You might feel sad about what’s going on in the world, or angry that you can’t see anyone for Xmas.
Food can quickly become an automatic response to mask our feelings. To deal with our frustrations, stress, anger, sadness. Whatever it is that’s coming up for you. It can be helping hand so that we can deal with what is, stay sane, go thru the day.
I get it. The world is hectic now. I think I’ve never had my brain filled with more calendar items, reminders, projects to complete or things to do! Oh, and there are the kids and their life also 😉
But, how come food has become such a default coping mode for many of us?
Pause, bring on the feelings – they might be there for a reason. Instead of eating your way thru them, ask: what is really going on there?
Let’s chat about what will not work. Heading into a victim mode and blaming external circumstances for how you feel and behave isn’t the long term supportive way. You will burnout, and most of all – it’s a battle hard to win. The external world isn’t in control of how you feel, no matter how hard it is to comprehend at the beginning.
If you mask your mood or frustrations with food or other short term relief, it tends to come back over and over again. This is because you the change and relief happens on a surface, not the deeper causal level. Then, the only way you respond to the same moods or stressors, is your known way – food. And, the cycle continues.
What to do instead?
Decide how you want to feel. If it’s sad or upset, let it. Sit with it, feel it. We are so quick these days to escape any negative emotions or mask them. Can you spot that in your own behaviour? For some, slowly counting to 10 or taking a few deep breaths may help to create a pause and some space between the initial unhelpful feeling and how you react. This allows to choose your next steps consciously, with intention.
Make a choice about what you want your thoughts to be. Think of how you want to feel, how you want to show up. Let your feelings drive your actions. Using food as a plaster is rarely a sustainable solution, and I can help you to explore this and become your own health and wellness expert.