PART 2: STEP 2-
Recognise The True Nature Of The Issue
Step 2 in taking back control of your eating habits/issues is to face facts and recognise their true nature, because all of the time you’re in denial you will remain blocked and resistant to weight loss.
It’s time to accept that emotional and binge eating is categorically not a form of ‘comfort eating’ but in fact a form of ‘discomfort eating’.
And the reason why it is connected to discomfort and not comfort is because although it may offer a very short and temporary burst of emotional relief, it ALWAYS comes with a series of devastating long-term consequences including increased risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, obesity, and certain cancers, none of which are comfortable in any way, shape or form.
But in addition to the physical risks, excessive emotional/binge eating also carries consequences such as overwhelming feelings of guilt, disgust, regret, shame, and inadequacy, which are proven to cause depression and anxiety- conditions which are far from comfortable to live with.
To demonstrate the fact that these eating behaviours are associated with discomfort and not comfort I’d like you to take 10 minutes to complete this task-
Find a place where you can be alone and quiet and listen to this audio-
to just take a moment to close your eyes and in your mind’s eye scan your entire body in its current physical form. Consider how your body feels when you have to move more than normal. If you’re able to, consider how your body and joints feel when you have to climb stairs, walk long distances, climb in and out of a bath or car.
If you’re disabled consider how your body feels when you have to move in ways to support and care for yourself.
Now consider looking into a full length mirror for a period of time observing your naked body, or entering a big room where everyone present turns to look at you.
Do any of those above scenarios make you feel comfortable in any way? I’m willing to guess from experience that they don’t. And the root cause of that uncomfortableness is your weight, and your weight is an issue because of your eating habits.
But not only that, when you have unhealthy eating habits/behaviours at play you’ll be experiencing feelings of guilt, regret and at times disgust too at the eating episodes you experience, which only adds to and intensifies the original issues that triggered the eating episode in the first place, perpetuating the cycle of “feel bad → eat → feel emotional and physical discomfort”, but calling it ‘comfort eating’ to mask and disassociate from those feelings is only prolonging them, because it doesn’t matter how much you try to lessen it’s true nature by dressing it up in a justifiable and more reassuring package such as “comfort eating”, the reality is that it is actually a form of non-suicidal self-harm, and accepting that fact moving forward will make you far more consciously aware of your inclinations to engage in acts of disordered and unhealthy eating, as it’s a stark and hard act to inflict on yourself, so you’ll be far more mindful of your triggers and choices with that acceptance in place.
Or if you’re unable to listen to an audio, follow these instructions-
Take a moment to close your eyes and in your mind’s eye scan your entire body in its current physical form. Consider how your body feels when you have to move more than normal. If you’re able to, consider how your body and joints feel when you have to climb stairs, walk long distances, climb in and out of a bath or car.
If you’re disabled consider how your body feels when you have to move in ways to support and care for yourself.
Now consider looking into a full length mirror for a period of time observing your naked body, or entering a big room where everyone present turns to look at you.
Do any of those above scenarios make you feel comfortable in any way? I’m willing to guess from experience that they don’t. And the root cause of that uncomfortableness is your weight, and your weight is an issue because of your eating habits.
Now open your eyes-
I want you to now also recognise that when you have unhealthy eating habits/behaviours at play you’ll be experiencing feelings of guilt, regret and at times disgust too at the eating episodes you experience, which only adds to and intensifies the original issues that triggered the eating episode in the first place, perpetuating the cycle of “feel bad → eat → feel emotional and physical discomfort”, but calling it ‘comfort eating’ to mask and disassociate from those feelings is only prolonging them, because it doesn’t matter how much you try to lessen it’s true nature by dressing it up in a justifiable and more reassuring package such as “comfort eating”, the reality is that it is actually a form of non-suicidal self-harm, and accepting that fact moving forward will make you far more consciously aware of your inclinations to engage in acts of disordered and unhealthy eating, as it’s a stark and hard act to inflict on yourself, so you’ll be far more mindful of your triggers and choices with that acceptance in place.
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