Reset My Emotional Attachment to Food

[Sassy Pants]

I'm an emotional eater.  Sad, lonely, happy it didn't matter.  I enjoy food.

I started the Whole 30 for several reasons.  Namely to re-educate myself on what I should be eating.  I've taken countless classes on human physiology and nutrition but clearly I wasn't listening close enough.  I wasn't practicing what I knew to be true.  My desire for sugar, bread and cheese was stronger than my desire to eat proper healthy food.  I kept telling myself that I'm too busy and I don't have enough time to cook fresh, so I was living off of convenience foods that I could throw in the microwave or oven or worse, fast food.  I was feeling sluggish and tired all the time but wasn't able to get a good night's sleep.  

I've always been an emotional eater.  Growing up, when I was sad or lonely I was comforted by food.  If we were celebrating, food was the center of attention.  This behavior is deeply ingrained and it has been hard to change, but I'm working on it by establishing new healthy habits like going for a walk or turning on some music and dancing around the house.

After a short time on this program I am already feeling better.  The bloating in my stomach is going away, my mind is clearer and I'm enjoying cooking for myself again.  Meal planning is key for me because while it is true I'm a busy person (like everyone else) I am able to find time to make several meals at once so I don't have to cook every single day.

I'm only on Day 3 but things are going great so far.  I like that I don't have to be meticulous about weighing or measuring out all my food.  As long as I'm eating the right foods, I find that I'm satisfied and not overeating at all.  I feel the Whole 30 came into my life at the right time and I'm embracing the reset on my relationship with food.

 

 

[rebeccawip]

i have similar eating habits. been fighting them for years on end! i'm on day 8 and so far havent really noticed much change in how i'm feeling other than feeling tired and sluggish, unmotivated to exercise. my cravings had gone down a little but they're back up today . maybe because i'm off work?

Glad to hear you're having such freat results! keep up that great work!!!

[DansiA]

Congratulations! I have a huge dependence on food, as a comfort or coping mechanism. You know in the book where it says "quitting heroin is hard, beating cancer is hard"? I'm a drug addict in long term recovery, I actually have quit heroin, and for me getting through the Whole30 is just as hard. Its hard not having something to reward yourself with, or make you feel better. Like the book says, we have to find other ways to reward/cope...but its so hard!!! So keep up the good work!! If nothing else, I have experienced an incredible degree of..power (?) over my eating habits. In other words, before the Whole30, I felt powerless over my relationship with food. But now when I get through a craving, or get through a moment when I'm just SURE I'm going to cave and eat that piece of cornbread (that happened about 3 hours ago), I feel empowered and strong. I feel so much better when I get through it.

 

Also, rebeccawip, keep at it! I'm almost at week two and I'm not seeing or really feeling the results I felt the first time. Its a little discouraging, but I KNOW I won't feel any better if I quit now! Keep at it!

[em.eek]

i also have a strong emotional attachment to food, and throughout my life i have used it as both punishment and reward, as an upper and a downer, as a distractor and coping mechanism for managing stress and difficult emotions.

tomorrow i start my first Whole30. i love what you said @Sassy Pants about finding other things to do when otherwise you would have turned to food. 

for me i think i might find pleasure and distraction in: reading a chapter of a book i'm interested in, dancing to a favourite song, petting my cats, going for a walk around the block, getting cozy with a cup of herbal tea, calling a friend for a chat, coming onto the WHole30 forum and connecting with others. 

i'm grateful for this topic and i'm sure i'll be back as i embark on this healing!