“If you overeat on a regular basis it is not because you’re tasting your food, it’s because you’re tasting a memory of past food.”
– Tony Robbins

Who doesn’t have nice memories of licking away on their favourite ice cream with the feeling of care-free fun summer days going by?

While the end goal is not to use food as medicine, nice cream definitely helps as a healthy alternative on your way there.

When you eat something that brings you joy there’s also often a memory associated with it. That memory usually has fun, comfort, and indulgence in it.

Comfort Food

Chocolate, for example, is a biggie. My favourite chocolate cake tastes just like birthday cake… and one of my absolute favourite smells in this world is the scent that lingers just after I blow out a candle. Clearly, I have some happy birthday memories that trigger a smile of comfort, love, friendship, and joy.

When you’re stressed you want to disconnect from your current pain and look for whatever can give the easiest short-term pleasure. Eating your past comfort not only puts you back in that state, but you also keep eating to maintain that feeling, long past bodily hunger has been subdued.

But how to actually stop this never ending train? I’m always reminded of Austin Powers’ ‘Fat Bastard’ character, “I eat because I’m unhappy, and I’m unhappy because I eat!” ~cue the tears~ We all know how this feels much too well! It’s painful. And breaking the habit is painful too, but not impossible! It begins by starting small and simple. As always, one step at a time, with forgiveness at every step.

Changing habits

1. Recognize when you’re emotional eating.

2. Find a healthy alternative for the transition from food as medicine. It’s time to look at food as self-care and love for you mind and body.

People who love themselves treat themselves well.

Some idea for coping without food

1.  Get outside for different scenery and fresh air asap.
   • A multitude of studies have shown that nature is one of the biggest cures of depression, this article has a nice summary.
2.  Write it all down to get it out of your system, have a bitch fest on paper if you need to.
   • Harvard points to several studies that show how expressive writing can reduce stress.
3.  MOVE YOUR ASS… in a way you don’t hate! Walk, sign up for regular salsa or belly dancing classes, buy a trampoline and jump like a kid.
   • Activity is also one of the most effective antidepressant and anti-anxiety ‘meds’, check out Harvard’s short summary on it.
4.   CREATE something. Anything. Who cares if it looks like a child did it? After all, over eating for comfort is no better. Paint some blobs. Plant some plants. Paint a pot! (hard to mess that one up) Write a story. Cook something healthy you can be proud of! The list is endless…
   • Huffington Post summarizes studies that show creativity reduces stress, whether you suck at it or not.

Food as a coping mechanism is a bad habit that can be broken, and there are thousands of books out there on habit change too. One of my absolute favourites is The 7 Habits of Highly Successful People.

The final point being…

What memories are you eating?

And more importantly, how are you going to find another way to cope starting… now?

As always; start simple, start small, and start now.