Just get over it ! Sounds really simple and believe me, I wish that answer was that simple. However, when it comes to issues that cause a lot of emotional connections with addictions, that statement is almost impossible. Many people struggle with an addiction of some kind. The first thing you need to do is understand the WHY? You might deny it a few times in the beginning of the true reason you are addicted to something, but eventually you will break that wall down.
Once you understand the why, you can now start to identify and break the behaviors associated with your addiction. Do your addictions affect your life? If they do, what can you do better to manage the behaviors associated with them?
You may feel like you don’t know where to turn because you tried it all. Why do you struggle? That is the million dollar question that I want to help you work through today!
-Emotionally connected to food. This is huge in our culture. Feeling lonely? A tub of ice cream will fix it. Break up or fight with your significant other? Chocolate always does the trick. Constantly judging yourself? Dieting is an easy thing to focus on to “punish” yourself for not being good enough. Ever hear of “comfort foods”? I know you have your favorites. For me, when I was younger, my favorite was baked mac and cheese with the bread crust. Carbs on carbs smothered in cheese with stewed tomatoes ! Yes that was my go to when I wanted a taste of home. Did you know when you eat out of emotions you are just trying to cover up and fill a void in your heart? Maybe you should ask yourself what is really wrong and how you can address it !
-Imbalances in food groups is also a big problem. Fad diets are a large issue when it comes to this topic. Either eliminating or making an irrational statement about it certain foods. Such as, eating fat will make you fat, or cut carbs for fat loss. Sure, in short term these things might work but your body needs these foods for nourishment. Cutting yourself off from these food groups will lead to overeating and binging more often because they are deemed “off limits”:
-Habits are made which means they can be broken.Habits are powerful. Your relationship with food can become a habit, something you don’t think about twice. You may binge and purge. Or, you always turn over the labels of foods to check the calories. Or, every time you travel home to see your family, you overeat, because it’s “what you do together.” If you can learn to break the habit or exchange it for something else, you will have more success in keeping a better one.
-Did you ever think that you are hungry because you are not eating enough? Might sound baffling to some but the truth is that many people are under eating and then overeating to compensate which leads to yo yo dieting. Try to maintain a healthy eating “habit” all day by consuming small manageable meals,
These are some of the ways you might be able to “get over it.” Knowing why you struggle can help you get past the obsessive thoughts. Although this list is not extensive, these are some common ways the struggle with food presents itself for the 75% of women who confront obsessive thoughts and disordered eating habits. Awareness of these factors can be helpful in getting over some of these issues.
Reference: breakingmuscle.com