How Do Emotional Eaters Lose Weight Without Dieting?
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If you aren’t going to diet, how are you going to stop emotional eating and lose weight?
After many diets I am sure you have created rules about what you can and can’t eat.
It is important to not look in a book to figure out which foods feel safe and which ones make you want to eat more on. High protein, low carb, calorie counting, low fat and the list goes on…
With all the mixed messages and all the programs you have tried, how do you know which one is for you?
One of the first things I ask my clients to do when they come into my office is to create a list of foods that they find works for them.
There is a big difference between nourishing your body mentality and a diet mentality
I am going to teach you to find the right eating plan for you right now.
Step one: Write out how you view a diet versus nourishing your body.
There is a big difference between the two and your perspective is a big part of what is going to help you be successful.
If you are struggling to see the difference, I would be happy to have a free chat with you to brainstorm how you view the two. Feel free to contact me here.
Step 2 : Create a list of foods you find nourishing for your body that make you feel good.
These are the foods that you should try to consume 80% of the time.
They tend to usually include lots of veggies and fruits, lean proteins and complex carbs.
Notice what foods you find nourishing that makes your body feel healthy and content.
Now for the fun part that is probably new to you. Let's look at foods that are less nourishing that taste really yummy.
Step 3: Create a list of foods that you find high risk.
These are foods that you find hard to have in the house. You know the ones that take over your mind and consume your every thought and you can’t stop thinking about? The ones you eat really quickly so you won’t have be tempted by having them in your home anymore?
What is on your list? Is it chocolate? Ice cream? Chips? Be more specific!
What type of ice-cream or chocolate?
Step 4: Create a list of low risk yummy foods.
These are food that may not be fueling your body, but are quite yummy and you find manageable.
These are the food that you want to still enjoy , as a small percent of your diet.
Some examples may be:
Air pop popcorn with butter and salt, dark chocolate, gelato, grilled cheese, pizza. For some people it may be chips and/or ice-cream.
Step 5 : Ensure you are having the nourishing foods 80% of the time and the low risk yummy foods 20% of the time.
Think of our body as a car. You may fill it up with regular gas which does the job, but premium gas will make it run as smooth as can be.
It is not realistic to put premium in all the time, but over time we know the more you put this gas in your car, the best it will run.
So why am I talking about gas in your car? This is the same as how we fuel your body. This is less about diet and more about nourishing your body the majority of the time..
If you can nourish your body with whole foods most of the time, it will feel really great and run smoothly. This does not mean you are going to always eat this way, but if you can focus on nourishing your body 80 percent of the time then you can put less nourishing foods in the rest of the time.
We are all different and have different foods that we struggle with. Start creating your list and pay attention of what works for you and what doesn’t.
Natalie Shay is a Psychotherapist and Life Coach specializing in emotional eating. She struggled with her own weight for 20 years. She finally learned to stop dieting and lost 75 lbs. In 2007 she became a Registered Psychotherapist to help emotional eaters stop turning to food for comfort and lose weight without dieting. She helps support her clients and guides them to meet their goals to stop dieting and start living.
Natalie can be reached here