When something in life creates stress, we often find comfort in food instead of dealing with the issue directly. Using food as a comfort tool doesn’t fix the problem at hand and can lead to weight gain, feelings of guilt, depression, and more. A total downward spiral of ‘self-sabotage’ can begin.
Sound familiar? Many people can relate, but it doesn’t have to stop you from reaching your goals. According to Amanda Price-Salazar, a certified personal trainer, nutritionist, and owner of Edge Fitness in Tumwater, you can take steps to stop the ‘self-sabotage’ cycle.
“I consider emotional eating to be numb and unconscious eating. It causes a non-stop spiral of feeling out of control. The most common thing I see is instead of taking the time to investigate self-sabotaging behavior, then working through it in an effort to fix the problem long-term, people jump into a crazy fad or super-star diet,” says Price-Salazar.
“Often these diets are not customized to their body type or lifestyle, are very restrictive, and not realistic,” she continues explaining. “Within a week or two they are starving, restricting themselves, and assigning foods ‘good’ and ‘bad’ labels. They don’t stay on the diet and when they stop, within days or weeks they gain back their losses and then some. This can be an emotional roller coaster and the repetition of this cycle can do long-term physical and emotional damage.”
“Extreme diets can cause a negative mental state. Food isn’t bad, but when you start to be overly restrictive, building a negative state of mind using constant negative self-talk, it can lead to a cycle of self-sabotage,” she says.
“Unfortunately, pairing the overly restrictive and unrealistic dieting along with a negative mindset and state of well-being is exactly how many eating disorders and body image issues begin,” she concludes.
Price-Salazar explains that the key is balance. She encourages healthy choices most of the time and allows for “fun foods” in everyone’s diet. “It’s all about moderation and awareness of portions to achieve balanced eating habits.”
Being active is a great way to decrease stress and certainly a better choice than emotional eating. Exercise helps your body relieve or exit “stress” improving energy, mood, and sleep.
Not only that, but exercise improves your mental state and helps burn excess calories. Daily exercise also tends to decrease your body’s cravings for ‘fun foods’ and ultimately motivates healthy choices. The more you work out, the more your body craves healthy food and the more you want to eat them. It’s a cycle as well, but a positive one that Salazar promotes for each and every client.
