Everyone has times when they feel the need to eat, not because they are hungry, but because they are bored or stressed. Usually it is a packet of crisps, a tub of ice-cream, or a bar of chocolate that people reach for at this time. To avoid comfort eating:
Post a Warning
A warning note can be put on the fridge or cupboards. All it needs to say is ‘stop and think’. This way, when the need to comfort eat arises and people head for food, they will think about the reasons why they want to eat.
Name the Problem
People need to be honest with themselves about why they are comfort eating. Is it boredom eating, or habit eating, or stressed about the kids eating, or hard day at work eating, etc.? Putting a name to the reason behind the comfort eating is a big step on the way to conquering the problem.
Lifestyle Changes
If people keep a diary of when they comfort eat, and what they are doing when they feel the overwhelming urge to comfort eat, they will usually discover a pattern. This can lead to lifestyle changes. It could be that a specific programme is on the television, the urge may arise when the kids go to bed, or when a person is feeling particularly stressed or worked up by something.
Stress can shorten people’s life span, can cause diabetes, cause memory loss or depression. Stress can be managed. Learn to count to ten when feeling stressed. Get a good sleep at night – those people who sleep for over 7.5 hours are not as stressed than those who sleep less. Plus, lack of sleep is one of the factors of obesity. Lack of sleep decreases the metabolic rate and therefore can be a factor in weight gain.
Changing habits means stopping comfort eating, and starting to lose weight, becoming generally happier and healthier. Old habits die hard. People should not worry about the occasional lapse back into comfort eating, but they need to keep trying. When people learn something new, they do sometimes make mistakes. This is normal.
Changing habits is something that takes hard work, it will not happen instantly. Perseverance is the key. Comfort eating is the enemy, and the enemy can be defeated.
How to Change Habits
A habitual comfort eater needs to focus on those times when they usually comfort eat, and decide upon new things to do instead. Here are some examples of new habits:
- Go out for a walk – This will increase the distance between the individual and the food, and is also a good form of exercise.
- Do some ironing – Not only will this help the waistline, it will also decrease the size of the ironing pile.
- Put some music on and have a dance – This helps people relax and takes the emphasis off food.
- Telephone or visit a friend – Friends and family always have something to chat about. Just don’t start discussing cake recipes.
So to lose weight people need to remember to get plenty of sleep, and stop comfort eating.
Related Reading
Readers may also enjoy The Health Benefits of Lemons.
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