Getting over emotional eating habits

.....is a battle you are always going to have to fight. Sorry but it is true.  I still walk out of stressful meetings asking where is the chocolate? Tax season - a tad stressful trying to meet all the deadlines. I will admit that I walked away from desk to sneak some Tootsie Rolls from the front desk. Or scarf down some cookies or chips that were sitting around from some group lunches before anyone could catch me. Which is why while fighting this uphill battle we need accountability.  I've said it before but accountability is very important.  One tip for an accountability partner - pick someone who will call you on it.  Depending on your personality, you can choose someone who will politely tell you not to but says it's ok if you go for that cookie.  Or you might want someone who will be strict and brutal.  Somewhere in the middle is good.  For instance, my trainer will definitely call me on my eating. He will be brutally honest whether I like it or not. Which is not - because the way he goes about it I feel judged and like such a failure and leave the gym in tears. And being the emotional eater, I go for the frozen yogurt.  Which makes total sense right? I eat cause I'm stressed, I get called on it because it's not helping my goal of losing these last 40 pounds and I go eat some more cause I'm upset again about my eating.  So it's back on track for me.  And as a reminder to myself and maybe to help you, here are some tips for emotionally eating:

1. Instead of going to the kitchen when you are upset, go to the gym. Or better yet walk around outside.  The fresh air will make you feel so much better.

2. Drink a glass of water.  Sometimes when you haven't drunk enough water you are thirsty but you think you are hungry.

3. Wait 10 minutes and just breath. Deep calming breaths in and out.  Eventually the urge does pass.  Honestly, it's mostly mental.  It's just hard to get out of the habit. They say that it takes 14 days to form a habit but 6 months to break it.

4. Have an accountability partner. Someone who will be honest with you and who you can be honest with.  Sometimes it's hard to admit when we slip because we are so afraid people judging us.  But true friends don't judge you. They'll be honest and give you a kick in the butt when you need it.

5. Get over it. You will slip. We are only human. We have bad days we have good days.  Don't dwell on the past. Try your bestest best to get back on the right track.  It's a lifestyle change - we are going for the marathon not the sprint.

I hope this helps in some way - big or small.  Hopefully I'll be able to get more blogs written now that I have a little more free time.  That should help keep me out of the kitchen too. :)