Why Your Emotions Are Tied to Food
There’s no denying that food and mood are connected. If you’re anything like many people I know, you gravitate toward that yummy piece of cake, a handful of cookies, or that candy bar hidden in the drawer of your desk when emotions are at their highest point. But did you ever wonder WHY this tends to happen? Let’s take a look at that for a moment.
From the moment we were brought into this world, we’ve learned to associate food with emotions. As an infant, we cried out for soothing affection and our cries were answered with our mother’s milk or bottle filled with formulated milk. We celebrate special occasions with food (holidays, weddings, graduations, birthdays). We’ve been conditioned to use food to express, suppress, and deal with our varied emotions.
But here’s the problem: Instead of eating to live, we’ve instinctively learned over the years to eat as a way of coping with life. And in the fast-paced lifestyle of the 21st century, this is a mounting problem that’s working against many, many people. The way we eat as Americans–fast food restaurants on every corner offering burgers, fries, pizza, shakes, and 1/2 gallon soft drinks as a “Big Gulp” makes it seem nearly impossible to do the opposite, which is to prepare healthy meals at home. But if we don’t make a conscious shift to change things, the human race as we know it will likely dwindle to nothing.
Want to know how you can break the food/mood cycle? Here are 3 simple steps you can take TODAY to get started on a better path:
- DECIDE. Make a decision today that you’re ready to change your life an begin anew. Nothing ever changes without a committed decision first.
- SEEK SUPPORT. Contrary to popular belief, there’s no such thing as “quick & easy weight loss”. And that’s especially true when you don’t have the support you need to stay accountable for your actions. Get the support you need to stay on track and learn new behaviors to replace the old.
- THINK OUTSIDE OF THE BOX. Recognize that the mainstream way of eating and living is not supportive of healthy and whole living, and begin to learn what it is that others who live healthy lifestyles are doing to keep trim & fit. You can’t keep doing the same things over and over again and expect a different result. How’s that workin’ for ya’, by the way?
Are you ready to break the cycle of the food & mood connection so you can lose weight, feel great and live a life that’s healthy & WHOLE? Yes? Well let’s get you started by getting the support you need. Contact me for a private Health & Wellness Acceleration Call. Your body, mind, and spirit will love you for it!
Awesome! I appreciated your article. What really resonated with me is that you said, “if we don’t make a conscious shift to change things, the human race as we know it will likely dwindle to nothing”. The fundamental shift to change things is what I want to see. Being the traveling family that we are, I would love for fresh, organic, whole foods to be as accessible as McDonalds french fires. It is certainly going to take a fundamental shift to see that happen. Also, for years I practiced a healthy whole foods approach to nurturing my children, but it wasn’t until the end of last year that I faced my own dragons to apply those principles to myself. I would always search out and find my moments when I could sit down and have a meal prepared for me at a restaurant. Thinking that after “servicing” and taking care of my four children and the man of the house, that I deserved to sit down and eat a peaceful meal from start to finish. I rationalized my costly tendencies in many ways. I wasn’t ready to deal with it then. But I am now. And yes, it was certainly ALL emotional.
Beautifully and well-stated, Jenna! Always know that you deserve the very best for yourself, in everything you do. You’ve given 4 beautiful children the gift of life, and that’s the very best gift you could ever give. Nurture yourself just as you nurture them. Be the beakon of light that they can follow. When you do, you’ll see so many things in your life change, for the better. Oh, and in regards to healthy fast food being just as acessible as the McD’s burgers and fries: I’m in the process of birthing that right now. It’s been something that I’ve been wanting to do for a very long time, but didn’t think that I could. But I now know that it’s part of my life purpose. Yay! Your kids, and mine, will have access to a drive-thru that provides fresh, organic, whole foods! And the drive-thru will be a must-have feature for these restaurants! I’ll keep you posted!
Love to You!
Christine