Popular culture often trivializes people’s struggles with food, referencing their indulgence in “comfort foods” like it’s no big deal. While women are far more likely to be a target, trust me, men struggle with food just as much. The sad reality is that turning to food for comfort is a losing proposition because the food will never comfort you.
It may taste good, but it will never fill the void you’re trying to fill. In reality, most people, at least to some small degree, occasionally struggle with emotional eating. For others, it’s a war they wage daily that, to me, is so much more complex than, for example, an addiction to alcohol or drugs.
You don’t need alcohol or drugs to live, yet food, the very thing you battle, is an absolute necessity for daily survival. It can be like walking a proverbial tightrope where you’re constantly struggling to maintain balance. And with just one false step or bite, you can plunge into overindulgence.
Food can be a “liar,” “thief,” and “destroyer.” If you struggle with emotional eating, you know what I mean. Food will lie to you when you’re feeling tempted to indulge. And when you’re behavior really gets out of control, food can rob you of your peace of mind and ultimately destroy your life.
There’s a difference between disordered eating and an eating disorder. Stuffing yourself to the point of minor misery at Thanksgiving could almost be considered disordered eating, and yet it’s a culturally accepted practice. But that’s way different than someone who regularly binges and then forces themselves to throw up to keep from gaining weight. That’s called Bulimia. And don’t forget Anorexia, where people starve themselves for fear of gaining weight.
If you struggle with either of the latter conditions, please seek professional help. Dealing with these challenges is way beyond my scope of practice or the intent of this post. However, for those who occasionally struggle with feeling out of control with their eating, I may be able to offer some practical suggestions.
First of all, if you struggle emotionally with food…
Remember, you can only eat so much, and then you must return to reality. Regardless of what awaits you, do you want to take that step under normal circumstances or amid a food “hangover”? I promise, no one wants to be a parent, child, friend, or name your occupation or activity under a cloud of a food hangover. I know from personal experience that the most common feeling is simply wanting to shut yourself off from the world.
Part of people’s struggle is self-inflicted by pursuing perfection with their eating. They possess the false notion that you have to eat “perfectly” all the time to achieve and or maintain an ideal body weight. There is no such thing as good or bad food…only more or less nutritious food, and both can have their place in a balanced and healthy nutrition plan.
I only caution you in two ways. First, don’t decide after an extra-long and stressful day that it will be a 10% or “treat” meal night. That’s probably not ending well because you’re not thinking straight. Consider planning when your mind is clear, and then stick to this second little guideline. Eat whatever you want but stick with standard portion sizes. Then walk away with no guilty feelings.
This little practice will work for the majority and keep you from running smack into the wall of deprivation. The only time this may not work is if your emotional eating is a little more advanced and you have certain trigger foods where when you have a bite, you’re likely to eat the pint…or tub.
For me, this is store-bought sweets. I decided after years of struggle to simply abstain…period. I love my homemade treats, including cheesecake and cookies and my daily pancakes, of course, but they’re all super healthy and don’t cause me to lose my freakin’ mind.
Only you can determine whether a given food is okay to enjoy occasionally. If you find yourself going in with the best intentions and yet consistently end up out of control, you may have identified a trigger food that you simply need to avoid. Another possible solution is that you could come up with a healthy alternative.
Precision Nutrition is the name of an industry-leading coaching and educational company. I have their Level 1 certification, and I’m currently working on their year-long Level 2 master-class certification. PN does fantastic work, and the info they teach is life-changing.
Precision nutrition is also a philosophy of eating and preparing meals. You can take any dish that might be considered less than healthy, like store-bought pizza, Mexican food, or sweets, and change them for the positive. You can create some great-tasting and nutritious meals when you remove the excess sugar and unhealthy fats and replace them with clean proteins and healthy fats.
This has been my go-to strategy now for years. I have three protein shakes a day, and they’re all different in terms of what they do for me and how they taste…and they’re all fantastic! Further, I have protein pancakes literally every day of my life unless I’m traveling. It’s my own recipe, it’s super healthy, and they are incredible! These collectively feed my sweet tooth daily, yet I’m never tempted to over-indulge.
Closing thoughts for my readers: Writing this post has been in my heart for some time. As a nutrition coach, I work with people who struggle with food daily and feel compelled to share. If you really do battle with your eating, consider getting some help. The most successful people from all walks of life have coaches, and seeking professional help with a food struggle is no different.
For some additional resources on healthy eating, consider the following:
Gourmet Nutrition: The Cookbook for the Fit Food Lover
Eating for Life from Bill Phillips
Best of luck in your journey…
kellyamidonblog.com 
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