Even in these trying financial times we are faced with an overwhelming abundance of food. Food is everywhere. Portions are huge. And it's acceptable for all of us to have a snack and beverage with us at all times. It's no wonder that so many of us overeat. However, taking a look at some of the not so obvious reasons people overeat can help you cultivate a deeper awareness and change your current eating patterns.
Hunger Can Feel Scary
Many overeaters report that the feeling of hunger triggers great panic in them. At the slightest onset of a hunger pang they run for food or get terribly anxious. There are many reasons why this might happen. It could come from having had limited sources of food as a child or strict restrictions on certain types of foods. You may have to retrain yourself to know that it's okay to be hungry. In order to do this you can become aware of all the physical and emotional feelings you have when hunger hits. You can practice tolerating being hungry for a few minutes more than you normally would. Or you can simply get more attuned to what real hunger feels like.
Believing You Have to Finish Everything On Your Plate
Many people were raised with the rule that they had to finish everything on their plate. This rule can lead to overeating in adulthood. People override their natural alarm systems and can no longer detect when they're full. If you were raised with this rule you might still have a hard time leaving unwanted food on your plate. Overeating becomes an unavoidable, unconscious act. Practice listening to your body to determine when you're actually full. Practice leaving food on your plate and realizing that nothing bad happens when you do. Practice re-parenting yourself with new rules that only require you to eat as much as you really need.
Overeating Can Be a Habit
Sometimes overeating is simply a bad habit. People come to associate food with being festive. You can associate food with a movie, an afternoon coffee break, or the way that you transition from work to home. Once food has been linked with something it can feel like doing that task or activity without eating is incomplete. But it's not. If overeating is simply a habit, begin to create new associations. A movie doesn't have to include popcorn. A date with a friend can be a walk on the beach instead of going for coffee and a muffin. The more you disconnect food from fun, the more freedom you'll have to make better choices.
If you are an overeater, starting with the simple act of observing when and why you overeat can make a big difference. Most overeating doesn't occur because of hunger, it occurs because food has become something more that mere food. What does food symbolize for you?
Autor: Roger Gould, M.D.
Roger Gould, M.D.
Psychiatrist & Associate Clinical Professor, UCLA
One of the world's leading authorities on emotional eating and adult development
Author & Creator of Shrink Yourself
Shrink Yourself is the Proven Online Program Designed to End Emotional Eating
Added: July 22, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/
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