Client insight: “Emotional Eating is my Comfort… And it’s Comfortable”
After working with emotional eaters for more than a decade, it is common to hear from clients that they don’t understand why they keep emotionally eating when it makes them feel terrible.
They can’t stand the overfull feeling after a binge.
They hate hiding from others and sneaking food.
They judge their worth by thinking they need more willpower to get their shit together.
They dread the judgement, guilt, and self-hatred that comes after eating.
They’re ashamed of how much money they spend on food.
For something that is supposed to bring a sense of comfort, these things sound like anything but! So, why are you stuck in this emotional eating cycle when you know it doesn’t feel good? It isn’t about cravings for specific foods or an “addiction to sugar.”
It is because emotional eating is familiar. It is the predictability, even the negative side of it, that offers you a sense of comfort. You know what to expect and our brains are wired to go with what we know. Yup, even when what you know is that you’ll regret it or tear yourself down after eating emotionally, it seems better than the unknown.
But it is exactly this unknown that can change your patterns.
We know that sounds scary! As humans we want to be able to predict, and even control, outcomes. So, we seek out the familiar even when it is no longer serving us. The truth is it is going to feel uncomfortable to change your patterns, but we promise it won’t feel any worse than being stuck predicting the negative outcomes again and again by using food to cope.
If you’re ready to start moving in a new direction, our number one piece of advice is to sign up for our First Step Course. It will help you understand what emotional eating is, what are your personal triggers, and new strategies you can implement right away when you want to emotionally eat. Plus, it is completely online, so you can access it whenever and wherever you want (and you have access for life, so you can come back to it anytime you feel stuck in this cycle).
We want to remind you that growth feels uncomfortable at first, but then there is a sense of relaxing into the new normal. You are strong, resilient, and smart—you got this!
💛 Your peace awaits.
