How do you deal with your emotions?

Angie Newton @ Losing It And Loving It

When I’m feeling defeated and emotional, I ask for encouragement. Whether it’s on my blog, Facebook page or from family and friends, it really helps to have people cheering me on.  The best tip I have for dealing with the various emotions you go through on your weight loss journey is to stay positive and never give up!  Look back at how far you have come. That will change your mood quickly to see all the success up until that point.  And remember exercise and healthy eating does wonders for your body and your emotions.

Angie Newton writes about her weight loss and fitness journey and shares tips on living a healthy lifestyle at her weight loss blog.  Feel free to drop by for a visit!

Scott Tousignant @ Fat Loss Quickie

I believe that the question should have been stated, “How do you deal with negative emotions?” Most of the time I am filled with joy, love, happiness, and peace, but there are indeed times when negative emotions creep in. Being a former depression sufferer, I pay extra attention to my emotions to ensure that I continue living the life that I deserve.

When it comes to emotional eating I have become aware of my top two triggers… boredom and feelings of overwhelm.

After years of paying attention and becoming aware of these triggers I can catch myself in the act of rummaging through the cupboards or desperately digging through the refrigerator. What I do during these moments is challenge the thoughts in my head. There’s already a dialogue going on in my mind where I’m trying to justify eating junk food and too much of it, so I continue the conversation and challenge those thoughts. If I think to myself, “It’s ok, I’ll start eating better tomorrow”, I challenge that thought.

The first thing that I say to myself is that food has never solved any of my problems. Food is meant to fuel my body, not necessarily my mind. I remind myself that it’s ok to enjoy my favorite treats in moderation, but I also recognize that these treats only provide temporary satisfaction to my taste buds. I am also well aware that over-indulging in junk always makes me feel guilty and worse than I felt before I went looking for treats.

…yet, if I avoid emotional eating I feel victorious afterward. I no longer feel a slave to junk food. Instead I embrace it for what it is… a temporary satisfaction for my taste buds that doesn’t make me feel even remotely close to as great as I feel after eating a healthy meal.

I have found great pleasure in eating healthy foods, so I focus on those tasty healthy meals instead.

The most important thing that you can do is to reflect on the root cause of the negative emotion and fix it. If I’m bored, I get myself busy. I’ll go for a walk or a bike ride. If I’m overwhelmed I’ll take out my prioritized to-do list and only focus on the single most important task that needs to get done today. Once again, a nice bike ride helps me overcome overwhelm.

If you are sad and down in the dumps, watch a comedy show. If you are stressed, take a hot bath in the dark with candles lit around you and listen to relaxing music. Sometimes taking a nap helps. Sometimes, chewing gum helps.

Bottom line, you are emotionally eating because you don’t want to deal with your problems. You are much better off facing those problems head on. Otherwise you simply create more problems by turning to food instead.

$h!t happens. Deal with it! That’s my tough love lesson.

To achieving your limitless potential,

Scott Tousignant

Scott and Angie Tousignant have been helping busy men and women, just like you, transform their body and life for over a decade. This dynamic duo prides themselves on providing a balanced and practical approach that will motivate and inspire you to become the best YOU that you can be.

Scott and Angie have dedicated themselves to sharing their exact workouts, what they eat, and how they stay motivated to continue transforming their body’s and life. You can find them at Fat Loss Quickie.

Diana Walker – @ The Cravings Coach

Emotional Eating is a huge topic.  I used to think it was only feelings of boredom, stress, anxiety, loneliness, etc. that made me eat emotionally.  But through study and personal experience, I really realized that in fact happiness, excitement, joy, celebrating an event are also my Emotional triggers!

1.  Nutrition…..I am fanatical about having the right nutrition for our brain health and emotional health.  Calcium, Magnesium, B Vitamins, Dong Quai, Essential Fatty Acids, Sunrider Beauty Pearl – nutrition in Whole Food form whenever possible – are absolutely the very best assistance I feel I can get for balancing out my emotions.  Any of the ancient and holistic remedies are my favorite solutions!

2.  Breathing…..A favorite technique of mine – and one that everyone can use – is Breathing!  That’s right, I said Breathing!!  – everyone can do that, right?  Whether I’m happy or sad or any emotion in between, I often need to just slow down.  Breathing affects Emotions and Emotions affect Breathing.  Take 10 deep breaths – In through the nose, Out through the mouth.  10 times.  Just try it.  It often works for me.

3.  Physical Activities…..Another favorite solution that I find really helps with overcoming emotional eating is any physical activities I enjoy – like yoga, swimming, walking, Zumba dancing.  Every one of these take me out of my current emotional state, and create positive feelings for me.

4.  Positive People, Goals and Dreams…..Surrounding myself with positive people helps – so that I am prepared in advance – for any negative emotional state.  I create and use Vision Boards to inspire me with my Goals and Dreams.  I really believe “What you focus on, expands” – I find the more I focus on being happy, healthy, vibrant, and at the best size and weight for me, and create the image in my mind, the smoother life becomes.  I am not on such a roller-coaster of emotions.

Diana Walker, Cravings Coach  http://www.thecravingscoach.com

Tishia Lee @ No More Plus Size

I’m an emotional eater – always have been for as long as I can remember! Obviously once you’re on a journey to get healthy and lose weight eating when you’re emotional isn’t a good thing! I still struggle with it but I’m getting better. I have a few things that I do before going to the cupboard.

First, I blog. I started my No More Plus Size…eventually blog back in January 2010. At first it was just a place for me to help keep track of my progress. Soon, it became a place where I was writing everything I was going through on this journey – the good, the bad and the ugly. I realized that if I could touch just one person by sharing my story then everything I was going through was so worth it. But then it became a place where others started coming to encourage me when I was/am feeling down, pick me up when I had fallen and didn’t think I could get back on track, love me when I couldn’t love myself. The emotional ties that I’ve created with so many of my readers and the weight loss/getting fit community isn’t even something I can put into words. The encouragement and support is amazing. When I’m feeling down I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else than on my blog or Twitter with all these amazing people.

Second, I go to a private Facebook group where a few friends,  who are also on weight loss journeys, and I talk about what’s going on with our healthy lifestyles. It’s a ‘safe’ place where I can vent, “cry”, etc and not worry what the outside world will think. These are close personal friends that have known me for years now and vice versa. I share my emotions with them, again I share the good, the bad and the ugly. They are there to listen and offer advice, support and encouragement.

If someone is having a hard time dealing with emotions of a weight loss journey I recommend they find a group or a few close people that will pick them up when they’re feeling down. It’s a lot easier to not give up and keep trucking along when you have people around you that are there cheering you on and encouraging you to keep going when you don’t think you can. And just remember, this is a lifestyle change and a long journey don’t focus on all the negative emotions – oh I have 100 lbs to lose, oh I still am in a size 24, etc. Focus on the positives – well sure I still have a 100 lbs to lose but I’ve already lost 50, I may be in a size 24 but I was a size 28 when I started…or whatever. Take it one day at a time and stop beating yourself up (and yes, I’m preaching to myself here too!)

Tishia
http://www.nomoreplussize.com