I guess I seem to most people as pretty well put together and for the most part, I believe that to be true. I can usually get a good grasp on a problem and deal with it well. I think I have a pretty high emotional IQ, which I learned about the other day while Ange was preparing for her class and we were arguing about which one of us was the least emotionally challenged.
As we made fun of eachothers emotional inadequacies, ranging anywhere from one of our hot tempers, to the others lack of communication in the face of a problem, to either of our personal drama that may arise from time to time, I came to the sure realization that everyone in the world is, at some point or another, emotionally unstable. Some people just mask it better than others.
Some people yell, cry, fight, break things, lock themselves away from everyone else, some talk about it, some don't... I eat! I am among some of the world's emotional eaters. Nothing a little pasta, chips, cake, anything fried, anything chocolate or with peanut butter, or generally anything one should try to have in small portions from time to time, wouldn't fix!
When I have a problem, my first thought is always on food. Food is what makes me feel better! Except it doesn't make me feel better at all! it reminds me of Fat Bastard's scene in Austin Powers. Ignore the firs and last part, but anyone who is an emotional eater will appreciate this one!
This video makes people laugh, but there is a very true element to it. Most people who are emotional eaters can tell you, when something is wrong and all you can think about is what the next thing you can eat is, your weight can get out of control quickly. Your next problem really is that you eat because you're unhappy and you're unhappy because you're overweight (I hate the word fat, it always sounds so condescending). You feel down on yourself and the fastest and surest comfort is in a cupboard or fridge somewhere.
Food never lets you down... but when we think about it, is that really even true? When you're in your logical state of mind, you know that's an outrageous statement, but put me in an emotional crisis and I would love nothing more than to go back and forth from sweet to salty until I feel like I've adequately swallowed my problems away. This is when you have to get down to the bottom of yourself and talk your way out of it. Think before you eat!
Is having a chocolate bar, followed by a half bag of chips, followed by a bowl of ice cream, followed by whatever other food you can find REALLY going to make this fight with your (insert problematic person here) go away? I think not. I think (call it an educated guess) it will only make it worse. You will do this and then the rest of your life will start spinning out of control right in front of your eyes because now, you are not only unhappy with said person, you are PISSED at yourself, and there's nothing like a little self destruction via food to let yourself know JUST how mad you are... Bad cycle.
The good news? Well, once you have figured out your own craziness, you can deal with it. It's truly craziness and I think you have to realize that in order to try and patch things up with #1. It's NOT normal, despite the fact that it is common, to eat your troubles away. Don't let people around you tell you otherwise.
Next, you have to take responsibility. It's hard to break this habit. I still often find myself getting up an checking through the kitchen at the first signs of stress. The difference is now, before I reach for whatever I can get my hands on, I remember that the answers to my problems are not inside that box of cookies or bag of chips. The bottom of the ice cream container does not contain all of life's truths contrary to popular belief! Trust me, I've reached the bottoms of my fair share, and there is no magic fortune cookie!
I have found that when this happens, I have to first tell myself to step away from the food, then I ask myself, "Are you really hungry?" Most of the time, the answer is no, and I find something else to do. Go take a bath, go for a walk, do something that will make the food inaccessible to you for a little while. That's all you need. The need for comfort food will pass. You have to talk about what's eating you instead of trying to eat it... Identify your stresses and knock them out before they get to you. You're sronger than you think, even when it comes to battling yourself!
On a side note, when you're looking for a place you can stop in and get yourself some healthy food at a good price in a hurry, come to Bossy's. I just added a whole new section of wraps and salads along with smoothies and protein shakes.... I'm not making a shameless plug, just a thoughtful suggestion! Fine, it's a thoughtful plug, or maybe a shameless suggestion! Either way, it's good tasting healthy food!
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