I recently asked, “If you could solve just one of your biggest eating problems, what would it be.” While it may seem there are many reasons you have eating problems, they fall into two main categories. In fact, most eating problems are caused by a combination of these two reasons. And until these two issues are resolved, they will continue to affect your eating.
The good news is there are just three main things you need to learn to finally have food freedom. And, surprise! They are addressed in our mindful eating programs. (I’ll talk about those three things in my next post.)
Reason 1: Past dieting and restrictive eating
Restrictive eating is perhaps the most surprising reason you struggle with your eating. It’s surprising because you probably started dieting to solve your eating problems!
Erin described it this way: “I find myself relying on non-existent self-control when it comes to having “just a taste” of the foods that I find highly palatable (sweets, carbs, chocolate, breads, etc.). I overeat and feel miserable and that starts the cycle of shame, guilt, and deprivation.”
Eating problems caused by past dieting
Here are some of the biggest eating problems you want to solve that are due to past dieting (or a combination of past dieting and emotional eating – see Reason 2):
- How to stop having the diet thoughts, example, calorie counting.
- How not to eat when I’m not hungry.
- Overeating – I don’t feel I’ve had enough unless I feel stuffed.
- Never feeling satisfied.
While dieting seems to help these problems short term (confirming the belief that you should keep trying it), in the long run, restrictive eating backfires. Dieting and restriction lead to physical and psychological changes that contribute to, or even cause, your eating problems.
Read this article for details and references about why dieting causes eating problems: Top Ten Reasons to Stop Dieting.
Reason 2: Eating for emotions and other triggers
The second reason you have eating problems is that you are using food in an attempt to meet other needs. This problem develops for many reasons, but solving it not only helps with your eating, it helps you meet those needs more effectively!
And to be clear, attempting another diet or restriction does not solve this problem; it makes it worse!
D’Ann described her challenge: “My main issue is wanting to snack in the evenings when I’m not hungry. I would be very happy if I could conquer this. It sometimes seems insurmountable. The pull is so strong. It’s magnetic. It takes a lot of strength, and sometimes I just don’t have it.”
Eating problems due to emotions and other triggers
Most of the other eating problems you want to solve are connected to emotions and other triggers (again, compounded by past attempts to diet to stop these triggers; see Reason 1):
- Evening eating when not hungry.
- Emotional eating, from stress to celebration, there are many times I eat when I’m not hungry.
- Letting my emotions control me instead of being in charge of them.
- Emotional eating. I eat when procrastinate.
- Like so many others, eating out of boredom. I’m not sure I even know what hunger feels like anymore.
- What to do to stop stuffing sweets when I feel frustrated or otherwise upset.
- How to stop using food to feel safe when I’m tense.
- Eating for reasons other than hunger (stress/deadlines, loneliness, boredom, anxiety/frustration).
- Late night urge to eat, usually before bedtime.
- Eating when I have pain. Snacking after 8pm.
- Eating at various times throughout the day when I just feel unsettled, and I am not hungry.
This is a big topic we spend a lot of time on in our mindful eating programs, but here’s a little food for thought: Don’t stop emotional eating! Learn from it instead and Why emotional eating can be so persistent
In this next post, I’ll talk about the three essential phases so solve your eating problems to finally have food freedom.
