Emotional eating – do any of you suffer from that?  I don’t usually, but once in a while I do.  Of course, my emotional eating is never consistent.  Most people either do not eat when they are overwhelmed with stress or always eat when they are feeling stress.  I tend to go back and forth.  Sometimes when I feel challenged by life – the last thing I want to do is to eat.  However, once in a while, I crave comfort foods, and we all know that my comfort foods are carbs – PASTA! 

Anyway, I think we need to ask ourselves why we either eat more or eat less during the momentous times in our lives.  I believe that part of it is history, and the conditioning that we receive throughout our entire lives.

When there is a funeral, people send tons of food to the families. Isn’t that crazy?  The families are inundated with tasks, from planning the memorial services, to handling the practical aspects of life like insurance, bills, etc.  The families are usually so busy with these types of tasks that they do not have time to properly grieve.  Yet, when it is all over, they will notice bowls and pans full of food from everyone, on the counters, in the refrigerator, and in the freezer.

When someone experiences a victorious moment in life, we usually like to go out to restaurants to celebrate.  Softball and baseball teams go out for pizza after their games.  We bake cakes to celebrate birthdays, and make huge turkey dinners to celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas. We usually eat large dinners on Easter, and then there is the Easter candy, eggs, chocolate, and more!  We plan barbeques for Memorial Day, July 4^th, and Labor Day, and most gatherings revolve around some type of menu planning. 

What about weddings? When we plan weddings – a significant amount of time goes into the menu, which is the focal point of the reception. The funny thing is that when you hear about the wedding after, people talk about the music and the food. 

Hmmm, no wonder weight is an issue.  We seem to equate the most pivotal moments in our lives with food.  Other countries laugh at us for having large portions, but I don’t buy that as a reason for weight gain.  Many critics take issue with fast food restaurants or the type of food served in the schools, but I think it has less to do with the type of foods available, and more to do with what we learn about food through our journeys. 

If we are taught that food provides comfort during difficult times, and is a celebratory tool during blissful moments, then we need to rethink our use of food, rather than worry so much about the smaller details.  Yes, do not get me wrong – the smaller details are important. However, if we are eating to soothe or celebrate continually throughout each event of our lives, the small details will pale in comparison to the volume of food that we are consuming.

What about those who do not eat during stressful or triumphant times?  Not eating is just as unhealthy as eating too much.  I have to admit that I did not eat very much at all, while dating my husband. I was so beyond in-love that food was the last thing on my priority list.  Of course, I remember when my mother suffered from a serious illness, and I did not want to eat then either.  Fortunately, she is doing well today. 

My point is that we choose extreme measures to follow regarding our use of food.  We do not eat to sustain ourselves.  Food plays a paramount role within most of our lives, and if we expect to overcome any of our weight issues, whether it is too much or too little – we need to place more emphasis on finding a way to enjoy food, without it taking over our lives.  Sounds easy, right?  Of course, it is not easy, because it is a behavior that we have learned from childhood. However, it is never too late to learn new behaviors, and discover other ways to comfort us or celebrate the events in our lives. We just have to make a commitment to do the work, make the changes, and live healthier lives.

Until next time – NO DEFEAT … NO LIMITATIONS!

ANGEL LOGAN

Published Author | Professional Writer

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