Is Food Fueling Your Emotions?
From a young age we’re introduced to all kinds of different foods (good and bad) by our parents, caregivers, family and friends. How much we have of either is influenced greatly by our upbringing. We learn very quickly that food is often the centerpiece of every occasion.
Nicola Romagno discovering his love for ice cream.
As adults, aren’t we all guilty of seeking comfort in food from time to time? Who doesn’t like the occasional ice cream cone on a hot summer day, a dinner out on the town or the occasional dessert? Food is delicious, indulgent, satisfying, and delightful. For many of us, eating is the highlight of our day! Come on, you know you look forward to your lunch break every day. You wonder what you’re going to have, where you’re going to go, and who you’re going to eat with. And let’s be honest! Many of us find ourselves “decompressing” with food at the end of a long, stressful day. Who hasn’t dragged a bag of M&Ms, a container of chips or a box of cereal into bed with them!
We can’t predict the number of times in our lives that we will be scared, stressed, anxious, depressed or angry. Unfortunately, it’s inevitable. Many of us (and not just on occasion) turn to food for the solution. It seems to be the one thing that gives us immediate gratification and makes us happy. In that moment when we’re eating that piece of pizza or drinking that ice cold milkshake all of our problems, worries and responsibilities seem to melt away.
What’s the problem with this? When finding comfort and enjoyment in food (especially unhealthy food) becomes part of our regular routine, it can become problematic. “Needing a few beers” or “needing a bowl of ice cream” on a regular basis (I’m talking about more than a few times a week) suggests we are dependent on it. Over time this dependency can cause more issues such as weight gain, health related disorders and a deeper dissatisfaction due to our lack of self-control.
Michelle Storie and her son Ryan enjoying ice cream cones together.
In that moment of desperation, couldn’t we choose to do something different? What if we were to choose to do something that offers true satisfaction? What if we were to do something that does our mind, body and soul some good? What if we went for a walk with a friend at the parkway, read a good book, watched a movie, or tried making a healthy recipe that we found on Facebook?
This past week, I ran into an old friend at the grocery store. It was obvious to me that she had lost a substantial amount of weight. I looked at her and said, “You look great!” I spent a lot of time with her and her family growing up and I knew all too well what kind of food they usually kept in the house. Fluff, pop tarts, Lucky Charms, Fruit Roll-Ups, ice cream and let’s not forget the pizza bites. You know all the stuff most kids can’t wait to get their hands on! I’m sure you can imagine how happy I was to have a sleep over at her house!
She went on to tell me that she had lost seventy five pounds and that she never felt better. She said that she lost the weight the “hard way” and that it was no easy task. She had to completely change the way she looked at food. She also said that she tries not to weight herself more than once a week. She focuses more on how she feels and how her clothes fit.
She told me that she reached all of her goals and has kept the weight off by changing her relationship with food. As a personal trainer I couldn’t have been happier to hear that she did everything right. She put in the work, time, and effort and got results. That’s the way you do it people!
Maureen Wade-Rodgers and Tom Rodgers at In-N-Out Burger, San Francisco
Recognizing that you use food for happiness and comfort and being conscious of what you are putting in your mouth is the first step to improving your relationship with food! Food is fuel to nourish and to heal not therapy!
Interestingly, you will find that when you incorporate things that give you true satisfaction and comfort – like going to the gym and having a kickass workout, dropping those last few pounds or fitting into a new pair of pants you just purchased – you will not seek comfort in food so often.
In Conclusion:
The best advice I can give you is to be good to yourself on a regular basis and do other things that make you happy and joyful overall. To keep things in check do your best to “clean up your life.” Resolve issues. Focus on the positive, don’t dwell on the negative. Get rid of friendships or relationships that are toxic. Apologize to someone if you need to. Quit your job (if it’s really that bad) and find something that makes you happy. Stop wasting so much time _______ (fill in the blank).
Become aware. It opens the door to change! Recognize what you’re seeking, and find a way to give yourself some real comfort in a non-food way.
Chris McDonald ready to devour his meal.
The happier you become, the more comfortable you will be in your own skin and the less often you will rely on food and things that can be self destructive to the one person that matters most YOU. Remember, self-care is a divine responsibility.
I have been a personal trainer for over seventeen years and I absolutely love what I do. I honestly feel that I have one of the best jobs out there! The most rewarding part of my profession is helping one of my clients succeed at reaching their personal fitness goals. Making a difference in someone’s life makes it all worthwhile. I am currently certified by the National Sports Conditioning Association, Apex Fitness Group, and the International Sports Science Association. If you have a question and/or topic you would like me to discuss please send me an e-mail at isellgraphs@aol.com.
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