How big of a part do you think your emotions play in what you consume everyday? Chances are that your emotions play a bigger role than you might realize. Think about the last time you celebrated something, or the last special occasion you attended. Was food involved? Food is nearly impossible to escape from because it’s so intertwined into our daily lives. We all know that food should be nourishment, but what sidetracks our thought process and leaves us consuming food when we’re not even physically hungry? The answer is: our emotions. Use these life hacks to avoid emotional eating and reclaim your body fast!
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Life Hack #1: Keep a Food Diary – Anytime you feel like eating when you’re experiencing a strong emotion, stop and jot down those emotions before you eat something that you will regret later. Your stomach and wallet will thank you.
Life Hack #2: Play Nice– Sometimes we can be our own worst enemy with our negative self-talk. One option is to be nice to yourself for a change. Forgive yourself when you “mess up” and move on, there are plenty of opportunities to get it right. Just don’t get so discouraged when you make mistakes.
In 2007 researchers at Wake Forest University, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, asked female subjects to taste-test doughnuts. Half weren’t given any special instruction. The other half were given a lesson in self-compassion beforehand. The tester said, “I hope you won’t be too hard on yourself. Everyone in the study eats this stuff.” The result: Those who received the “Be kind to yourself” mandate ultimately ate fewer sweets (source).
Life Hack #3: Distract Yourself – Boredom can be a major trigger for some people. So get up and change your surroundings and start doing something other than what you’re doing. Add a new hobby, take some new classes, and open up a new portion of you life that could bring you more happiness in the long run.
Life Hack #4: Exercise Instead– One huge step in being proactive for your health would be to get up and exercise instead of eating. After you exercise, you will be less likely to indulge in “treats” for yourself because you put so much energy into burning up those extra calories.
Life Hack #5: Phone a Friend – Do you have friends that are health conscious? Give them a call when you are feeling weak. And if they are good friends, they will talk you through a craving.
Test out these simple life hacks as you get ready for fitness season. We’d love to know how they are working for you and which life hacks you use to make your weight loss journey more successful!
Christina
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