Conquer Emotional Eating Forever - Ezine on weight loss tips, compulsive eaters, overeaters

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Feature Article

Old Habits Die Hard – But You Can Get Over Them!

I spend a lot of time coaching people through emotional eating. It’s a bit like taking apart an onion (ever noticed how many food metaphors I use?). Take off one layer, you think you’ve cracked it then there’s another issue to deal with.

And all of us are susceptible to our old habits.

Including me, last Thursday. I’m being honest here because it was an experience I’m not proud of but we can all learn from it – so I hope you’ll benefit from my situation!

Last Thursday evening I found myself eating everything in sight. Loads of food got hoovered up. I would have gone for junk food except we never have much of it in the house. Actually what I did eat was mercifully obliterated by a food–induced brain haze, though I do remember bowls of cereal (hey, I was desperate) taking part in the eating frenzy.

Actually, as overeating goes it wasn’t that bad – I don’t have the stomach capacity for it anymore. But there came a point in the evening where I realised I was eating not because of physical hunger but just because I wanted to eat.

As I thought about this, while munching, I analysed what emotion was driving me to it. I thought it was anger, but then felt this didn’t accurately describe my emotions – it was more of a severe disgruntlement.

At that point it felt a bit silly to keep on eating but I did anyway – the part of my brain that behaves like a spoilt three year old, I call her the Little Imp, was egging me on. We had a conversation that went something like this –

Me: This is ridiculous, you don’t need this food, you’re not hungry.

Little Imp (arms folded, feet about to stomp): I know. And I don’t care, I’m going to have the food anyway.

Me: But you don’t need it.

Little Imp: But I WANT it. I’ve had a hard week.

Me: Well go on then, have it, if you really want it.

Little Imp (tasting a little bit of food): I shall.

Little Imp ate a bit more and then stopped. Even she could see that the food was totally unnecessary. And as her hard week had been acknowledged, she felt soothed and decided to go away.

It was a hard week, a series of things to sort out including the building work on our home. And the final straw was on Thursday morning, when taking my son to school someone ran into the back of my car. We weren’t hurt, just startled. But the car needs a new bumper and that’s how I ended up in a Major Disgruntled mood.

But it also enabled me to examine in detail the process by which I got my Little Imp under control. So for anyone who finds themselves in this situation this is the process that helped me –

1. Become aware. The first step to stop overeating is to realise you’re doing it. Just quietly say “Yes, this isn’t physical hunger.”

2. Acknowledge the feelings that are leading to this. Are you angry, lonely, frustrated, hurt? See if you can access and acknowledge the emotion.

3. Accept your Little Imp’s need to look after your emotions.

4. Take action to do something different.

My action was to leave Thursday night alone and start afresh the next day – going out to lunch I had salad and had a home-made salad in the evening. Both delicious and nutritious.

So the next time you get that Overwhelming Urge to Eat Everything in Sight... remember aware, acknowledge, accept and action.

And happy, nutritious, healthy, joyful eating to you.

With a background in biochemistry I was initially interested in how to boost metabolism to promote weight loss and how to feel satisfied after eating – what the nutritionists call “satiety”. All of these things are important for weight loss but for many people the biggest change comes about when they conquer their emotional eating.

I know this because as a child I was stocky, and then became chubby, then fat! I hated exercise and loved food. And my love of food went way beyond physical hunger.

I still love food, but now I know how to enjoy and how to set limits around it – all without feeling deprived.

With a training in coaching and NLP as well as my knowledge of biochemistry and nutrition, I am ideally placed to solve your problems with emotional eating.

Liz’s credentials…

Degree in Natural Sciences from the University of Cambridge (that’s where I get my biochemistry knowledge).
Degree in Nutritional Therapy (that’s where the nutrition knowledge comes from).
Module leader in Masters Level Module Tackling Obesity at the Centre for Nutrition Education & Lifestyle Management. On this module I lecture on the biochemistry of eating and starvation, satiety mechanisms, stress and obesity and emotional eating.
Fifteen years experience as a herbalist and health coach.
Practitioner level qualification in NLP, Coaching and Stress Management.

And, most importantly, a love of food and a passion for health, wellness and vitality!

Image of Liz drawn by Helen

The information in this newsletter is not intended to replace medical advice. If you feel you need to lose weight and you have any medical problems please consult your doctor before starting a diet.

No More Rabbit Food Weight Loss Tips For People Who Love Food April 3, 2009 Issue 25
In This Issue... A Note from Liz: Meet Whiskey & Purdy Feature Article: Old Habits Die Hard - But You Can Get Over Them! Liz Recommends: The Ultimate Fat Burning Diet Primer Recommend No More Rabbit Food Find this ezine valuable? Why not recommend it to a few friends? If you know of a friend or colleague who'd enjoy this newsletter, simply click on this link to tell them, and I'll send you a gift! Forward-to-a-Friend A Note From Liz Hello! Here is a pic of the cats, as promised in the last newsletter. They now have us fully trained to obey their every command. They are sisters, two years old and beautifully cared for by their previous owner. They have adopted Older Son and are currently house training him. Best of luck, I say. Liz Advance news: Look out soon for info on the international Healthy, Happy & Wealthy Telesummit, coming your way later this month! Connect with me: http://profile.to/lizcopeland/ Become A Fan http://twitter.com/foodwithoutfear Feature Article Old Habits Die Hard – But You Can Get Over Them!** I spend a lot of time coaching people through emotional eating. It’s a bit like taking apart an onion (ever noticed how many food metaphors I use?). Take off one layer, you think you’ve cracked it then there’s another issue to deal with. And all of us are susceptible to our old habits. Including me, last Thursday. I’m being honest here because it was an experience I’m not proud of but we can all learn from it – so I hope you’ll benefit from my situation! Last Thursday evening I found myself eating everything in sight. Loads of food got hoovered up. I would have gone for junk food except we never have much of it in the house. Actually what I did eat was mercifully obliterated by a food–induced brain haze, though I do remember bowls of cereal (hey, I was desperate) taking part in the eating frenzy. Actually, as overeating goes it wasn’t that bad – I don’t have the stomach capacity for it anymore. But there came a point in the evening where I realised I was eating not because of physical hunger but just because I wanted to eat. As I thought about this, while munching, I analysed what emotion was driving me to it. I thought it was anger, but then felt this didn’t accurately describe my emotions – it was more of a severe disgruntlement. At that point it felt a bit silly to keep on eating but I did anyway – the part of my brain that behaves like a spoilt three year old, I call her the Little Imp, was egging me on. We had a conversation that went something like this – Me: This is ridiculous, you don’t need this food, you’re not hungry. Little Imp (arms folded, feet about to stomp): I know. And I don’t care, I’m going to have the food anyway. Me: But you don’t need it. Little Imp: But I WANT it. I’ve had a hard week. Me: Well go on then, have it, if you really want it. Little Imp (tasting a little bit of food): I shall. Little Imp ate a bit more and then stopped. Even she could see that the food was totally unnecessary. And as her hard week had been acknowledged, she felt soothed and decided to go away. It was a hard week, a series of things to sort out including the building work on our home. And the final straw was on Thursday morning, when taking my son to school someone ran into the back of my car. We weren’t hurt, just startled. But the car needs a new bumper and that’s how I ended up in a Major Disgruntled mood. But it also enabled me to examine in detail the process by which I got my Little Imp under control. So for anyone who finds themselves in this situation this is the process that helped me – 1. Become aware. The first step to stop overeating is to realise you’re doing it. Just quietly say “Yes, this isn’t physical hunger.” 2. Acknowledge the feelings that are leading to this. Are you angry, lonely, frustrated, hurt? See if you can access and acknowledge the emotion. 3. Accept your Little Imp’s need to look after your emotions. 4. Take action to do something different. My action was to leave Thursday night alone and start afresh the next day – going out to lunch I had salad and had a home-made salad in the evening. Both delicious and nutritious. So the next time you get that Overwhelming Urge to Eat Everything in Sight... remember aware, acknowledge, accept and action. And happy, nutritious, healthy, joyful eating to you. Liz Recommends If you want to get a diet and exercise plan that makes sense, take a look at The Ultimate Fat Burning Diet Primer. I can recommend this book (available as a download) as it is produced by people who know the science and keep away from the hype. And I have a copy myself! Click here to take a look About Liz I have been looking after people’s health for over fifteen years. With a background in biochemistry I was initially interested in how to boost metabolism to promote weight loss and how to feel satisfied after eating – what the nutritionists call “satiety”. All of these things are important for weight loss but for many people the biggest change comes about when they conquer their emotional eating. I know this because as a child I was stocky, and then became chubby, then fat! I hated exercise and loved food. And my love of food went way beyond physical hunger. I still love food, but now I know how to enjoy and how to set limits around it – all without feeling deprived. With a training in coaching and NLP as well as my knowledge of biochemistry and nutrition, I am ideally placed to solve your problems with emotional eating. Liz’s credentials… Degree in Natural Sciences from the University of Cambridge (that’s where I get my biochemistry knowledge). Degree in Nutritional Therapy (that’s where the nutrition knowledge comes from). Module leader in Masters Level Module Tackling Obesity at the Centre for Nutrition Education & Lifestyle Management. On this module I lecture on the biochemistry of eating and starvation, satiety mechanisms, stress and obesity and emotional eating. Fifteen years experience as a herbalist and health coach. Practitioner level qualification in NLP, Coaching and Stress Management. And, most importantly, a love of food and a passion for health, wellness and vitality! Image of Liz drawn by Helen The information in this newsletter is not intended to replace medical advice. If you feel you need to lose weight and you have any medical problems please consult your doctor before starting a diet.
		You are on my list because you signed up for one of my programs or via my website. Sign me up for this ezine!
		Tasting Notes Eat Seasonal It’s always better to eat fresh foods in season. As this is a truly international newsletter I’m giving you links for several countries! To get a list of foods in season in your regions: Click Here for the UK (watercress, broccoli, spring onions, jersey royals – sounds like a great salad). Click Here for the USA (asparagus in PA, check for your own state). Click Here for Australia (mushrooms). Happy Eating!
		Bad Food Habits 26 Miles and More One of my clients has decided to do the London marathon, on April 26th. Personally, I’d find that amount of running, or even walking, scary – but Alex is made of sterner stuff and is running on behalf of the charity Sense. She ran 13 miles last weekend so I know she can do it. So take a look at her sponsor link and support her – I have made a financial contribution and will be supporting her with blister plasters after the event!
		Read More Of Liz's Articles...
		Give Something Back www.circleofwomen.org Take a look at the work of the Circle of Women – Reach and Teach Across Borders. A group of Harvard undergraduates have got together to raise funds for a girls’ school in Afghanistan. When so many of us have benefited from education it’s difficult to comprehend how limiting women’s lives can be without it. The school list is already oversubscribed and it’s not even built yet, so they need your help! Take a look at their website. And give generously.
©Tranzformations 2008 www.tranzformations.co.uk

No More Rabbit Food

Weight Loss Tips For People Who Love Food

April 3, 2009 Issue 25

April 3, 2009
Issue 25