Since the pandemic began, and global events have continued to add stress to our lives, emotional eating has become an increasingly relevant topic. It’s a theme that frequently arises when exploring intuitive eating, particularly in how to develop a self-care toolbox. This toolbox is a strategy to support individuals who feel uneasy with the role food plays in managing difficult emotions.
Emotional eating is often unfairly criticized, not only by diet culture but also within wellness circles and even in some initial interpretations of intuitive eating. There’s a pervasive idea that emotional eating is inherently negative. This judgment leads to feelings of shame when we inevitably turn to food in response to emotions. And it is inevitable. As humans, we are emotional beings, and our need for sustenance will naturally intersect with our emotional experiences. Sometimes, we consciously choose food to navigate challenging feelings. This is a normal human response, yet for many who identify as emotional eaters, it can feel like a shameful secret.
Emotional Eating Isn’t Inherently Negative
In the context of intuitive eating, it’s important to understand that emotional eating is not inherently wrong or bad. It’s simply one way we might cope with emotions that feel overwhelming or difficult to process. Intuitive eating acknowledges that we can manage emotions both with and without food. Food can offer significant comfort. It can soothe, provide distraction, and even bring moments of joy.
However, food rarely resolves the underlying issue, and at times, emotional eating can exacerbate negative feelings, especially if it triggers a cycle of shame. Therefore, it’s beneficial to view food as one of many tools for emotional regulation. When food becomes the primary or only strategy for coping, and it limits the exploration of other healthy coping mechanisms, emotional eating can become problematic.
How to Build a Self-Care Toolbox for Emotional Eating
Reframing emotional eating within intuitive eating involves seeing it as one tool within a broader spectrum of emotional coping strategies. It’s not about eliminating emotional eating, but about providing you with additional options. And when you do choose to eat for emotional reasons, the aim is to do so in a way that genuinely offers some comfort, rather than leading to shame or guilt.
A helpful exercise to explore this is creating a self-care toolbox. Think of food as one tool among many available to manage your emotions. Similar to a physical toolbox you might keep at home, you have a range of tools, each with varying degrees of usefulness in different situations – from duct tape to screwdrivers. Food can be likened to the duct tape of self-care tools – readily available, versatile, and applicable in numerous situations, making it a toolbox staple. But would you rely solely on duct tape for every household repair? Probably not!
To start building your self-care toolbox, grab a piece of paper or use a note-taking app on your phone. Consider it like creating a menu of self-care options. Some people find it helpful to decorate a box to physically store reminders of their tools, which can be a nice visual cue.
Here are some categories and examples to consider when building your self-care toolbox, along with some personal examples:
Soothing and Calming Tools
What activities help you feel soothed or more grounded when anxiety arises?
-
Deep breathing exercises: Simple yet effective, focusing on your breath can quickly bring calm.
-
Guided meditation: Apps like Insight Timer (mentioned in the original article) offer free guided meditations to center yourself.
-
Physical Comfort: Snuggling with a pet or a comforting object like a stuffed animal or blanket. The texture and warmth can be very grounding.
-
Sensory Engagement: Applying a cold compress to your face can be surprisingly calming, engaging your senses and shifting focus.
-
Restorative Yoga Poses: Taking a few moments in a restorative yoga pose like child’s pose can promote relaxation and release tension.
-
Comfort Baking: Engaging in baking something you enjoy, like chocolate chip cookies (as mentioned in the original article), can be a soothing and rewarding activity. The process and the treat can both be comforting.
-
Aromatherapy: Using essential oils, such as a calming blend like Sebastian Harper’s Calm the F**k Down roller (also mentioned in the original article and supports a Black female-owned business), can trigger relaxation through scent.
Distraction and Joy Tools
Sometimes, shifting your focus or engaging in activities that bring joy can help manage difficult emotions.
- Engaging Hobbies: Participating in hobbies you love, whether it’s painting, gardening, playing music, or crafting, can provide a healthy distraction and boost mood.
- Creative Outlets: Listening to uplifting music, reading an engaging book, or watching a favorite movie can offer a pleasant escape and emotional release.
- Nature Connection: Spending time outdoors, even a short walk in a park, can be incredibly grounding and reduce stress.
- Social Connection: Reaching out to a supportive friend or family member for a chat can provide comfort and perspective.
Problem-Solving and Action-Oriented Tools
When emotions stem from specific issues, addressing the root cause can be empowering.
- Journaling: Writing down your feelings and thoughts can help you process emotions and gain clarity on underlying issues.
- Mindful Reflection: Taking time to identify the triggers behind your emotional eating can help you develop strategies to manage them proactively.
- Setting Boundaries: If your emotions are linked to feeling overwhelmed or taken advantage of, practicing setting healthy boundaries can be a powerful self-care tool.
- Seeking Support: Talking to a therapist or counselor can provide professional guidance and support in navigating complex emotions and developing effective coping strategies.
By building a diverse self-care toolbox, you empower yourself with a range of options beyond just food to manage your emotional experiences. Remember, emotional eating isn’t the enemy; it’s just one tool. The goal is to expand your toolkit so you have numerous ways to care for yourself and navigate your emotions in a balanced and healthy way.
