Goal: Nurture your needs without using food.
Journal: What emotions trigger you to eat for reasons other than physical hunger? When you eat mindlessly, what are you really hungry for? What activities can you do that will nurture your needs without overeating?
Now, I've been thinking about this one a lot, lately. And I've kinda decided that I'm more of an "emotional not-eater" than an emotional eater. Any time I feel upset, sad, angry, frustrated, depressed, hurt, or any other negative feeling-- I also have an urge to stop eating, or *gasp* throw up if I've already eaten. (I've never actually intentionally purged. Way to go, me!) My stomach just wants to be empty when I feel those feelings. It's in knots and nothing can make it feel better until those feelings go away. About the only thing I can stomach is water or plain lettuce to nibble on.
What am I really hungry for in those moments? I don't know. Maybe just peace? Comfort? Validation? Maybe I just feel my emotions in my stomach and if they are negative, then I want them out. I want them to go away. Similar to wanting it out of my stomach? I've turned lately to exercise to help me not feel those negative feelings anymore.
When I overeat-- I think it's mostly out of boredom. Exercise can help fill that void, too. it can give me what I'm really "hungry' for-- something interesting to do. And it can give me a boost of endorphins, too, and make me feel happier!
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