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Weight Loss & Healthy Lifestyle (Expert Forum)
Are my emotions and my eating related?
Answered by
Columbia Cardiology Associates
Portland - OR
Questions in the Weight Loss & Healthy Lifestyle forum are being answered by James Beckerman, MD, Cardiologist. This forum is for questions and discussions relating to: cooking tricks, diet books, exercise tips, fad diets, fitness, health and hype, healthy role modeling for children, living a "green" lifestyle, medical treatments for obesity, metabolic syndrome, obesity, restaurants, smoking cessation, supplements, surgical treatments for obesity, trends in dieting, weight-related medical conditions
Are my emotions and my eating related?
by Georgina92, Sep 28, 2009 01:33PM
I am 5"2 and 7st 12lbs, I would class that as a healthy weight to be but it's my eating that I dont see as healthy... I used to follow a high fibre, low fat diet that worked really well for me but as of the last few months I have been binging on high fat foods. I've had a lot of emotional stress, I can barely gather the enthusiasm to do anything and I feel I am losing all self respect. Is this linked to my eating? Is there any way I can get back on track?
Doctor's Answer
by James G Beckerman, M.D., Sep 29, 2009 11:09AM
, Sep 29, 2009 11:09AM
I think you've already made some headway by recognizing that the stress is causing you to eat in a less healthy way...and the less healthy eating is making you feel bad about yourself.
I think the first step is try to break that cycle - rather than targeting food to start out, focus on how eating affects you. The fact is, we all make choices at times that aren't the best for us - that's okay! At the end of the day, our health is a very long term (we hope) investment, so try to look at things with more perspective. What you eat on a particularly day doesn't need to be the determining factor in how you feel about yourself. I actually think it's great that you recognize what's going on - I think it's your first step in fixing it.
I know it's easier said than done. But I also know that it can be done! Take care.
I think the first step is try to break that cycle - rather than targeting food to start out, focus on how eating affects you. The fact is, we all make choices at times that aren't the best for us - that's okay! At the end of the day, our health is a very long term (we hope) investment, so try to look at things with more perspective. What you eat on a particularly day doesn't need to be the determining factor in how you feel about yourself. I actually think it's great that you recognize what's going on - I think it's your first step in fixing it.
I know it's easier said than done. But I also know that it can be done! Take care.
It may be worth having a doctor evaluate you for depression.
I think dealing with the emotional stress may allow you to return to your previous diet (depending on how entrenched the behavior has become).
Dr Beckerman has a blog with some useful weight loss and healthy lifestyle tips. Some may be more applicable than others. For example, sleep, may be impacted by the stress perhaps making it a good area to start working on. ??
The emotional eating expert also has a website (shrinkyourself.com) that you may find helpful.