Question: Are there any books I can read or workbooks I can work through to get myself out of this emotional eating roller coaster? I work so hard and then sabotage my progress.
Answer: Emotional eating tends to start with some type of trigger. The first step is to identify the people and situations that trigger it. Common culprits include work stress, family members and social occasions. A helpful way to spot your triggers is to keep a food diary. Write down your feelings before and after you eat for at least one week. Once you discover your triggers, you’ll have to adopt a different activity to replace eating. Journaling, exercising, talking with a friend, joining an online chat group, reading a book or taking a relaxing bath are good alternatives. Make a list of activities you can do and carry the list so you can refer to it when a trigger occurs. One effective strategy is to adopt a hobby that will keep you focused and busy. When you’re busy, it’s not as easy to eat. You can get more information in these books by Geneen Roth, Breaking Free From Emotional Eating and Feeding the Hungry Heart.