The Emotional Eater the eBook by Susan Albers PsyD 2

8/20/2019 The Emotional Eater the eBook by Susan Albers PsyD 2

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Welcome

Welcome to the Emotional Eater’s Survival Guide! If you reach for a pint of ice

cream after a stressful day at work or munch mindlessly on salty potato chips

when you’re bored, you’ve come to the right place. This ebook will give you the

essential tools to transform you into the type of eater you want to be: to be able

to eat when you are physically not emotionally hungry.

Here is what you will find in this GUIDE:

1)

Introduction: What is “Eatmotional Eating”

2)

Self-Test to Pinpoint Emotional Eating Triggers

a. Dieting

b. Social Eating

c. Pleasure Eatingd. Stress Eating

e. Distress

3) Five Ways to Cope With Emotional Eating

a. DETERMINE

b. DELAY

c. DISTRACT

d. DIRECT

e. DELICIOUS4)

BONUS: Coping With Cravings


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Introduction: Who am I?

Let me introduce myself. My name is Dr. Susan Albers and I am a clinical psychologist at the

Cleveland Clinic and author of six books on mindful eating including EatQ (Harper One, 2014),

Eating Mindfully, 50 Ways to Soothe Yourself Without Food, But I Deserve This Chocolate!,

Mindful Eating 101, Eat, Drink & Be Mindful . You may have seen me on Dr. Oz or read about

me in an article in Shape or Prevention Magazine. My passion is to help people to stop

emotional eating, lose weight, improve their body image and stop stress eating—basically have

an all-around better relationships with food. I’ve been helping people stop emotional eating

for over 15 years. You can learn more about me at www.eatingmindfully.com or

www.eatq.com.

How did I learn about stress and emotional eating? I grew up in a large Italian family

that was ALL ABOUT FOOD. Aunts and grandmas responded to every joy, heart-ache andstressful moment with a bowl full of pasta, chocolate and/or a cannoli. It’s true that food is

comforting. However, what I’ve learned is that if you take out stress eating, you have to put

something else in its place. I studied mindful eating and how to help people step out of their

emotional relationship with food at the University of Denver and during a post-doctoral

fellowship at Stanford University. Since that time, I’ve worked with people every single day to

help unravel their complex emotional relationship with food.

For example, I recently worked with a forty year old, very busy lawyer. Her practice

kept her hopping as well as her two small children. When we began working together she said,

“I don’t have TIME to do this.” Soon, she learned the easy, scientifically based EatQ techniques

( just like IQ, EATQ are your “food smarts.”) were not time consuming. She couldn’t believe that

doing just a few simple things would make a huge difference. Not only did she feel fantastic,

she lost 27lbs just doing these techniques! She was still eating the foods she loved but found

out the secret to stop stress eating and boredom eating. While she loved losing the weight, it

wasn’t about that for her. Like most people, what they really want is to feel better in their

body, be in charge of their food decisions and to stop stressing about what they eat.

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Benefits to This Guide

-Strategies to replace emotional eating

-Learn what stands in the way of healthy, mindful eating

-Take charge of your thoughts & prevent self-sabotage

-Feel better about your body

-Weight Loss/Management

-Stop falling for your own excuses

-Learn how to eat the foods you love, mindfully


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Are you “Eatmotional?” Do you eat every time you feel something—boredom, stress, anxiety, maybe even happiness?

If so, you aren’t alone. We make over 200 decisions about what to eat every single day and the

majority of those decisions have nothing to do with physical hunger. Most of the reasons are

based on a feeling or emotion. In this ebook, you are going to learn how to STOP eating every

time you feel what I can “eatmotional” and START feeling great!

Self-Test or TAKE THE online version at

www.eatq.com (the online version will give you personalized feedback andseveral instructional videos).

Let’s start out by taking a closer look at what might be standing in the way of eating

emotionally eating RIGHT NOW. In my work with individuals, I’ve found that there are five

common emotional barriers to eating well. Take this quiz to determine which aspect may bestanding in your way. Read each question. Circle the answer that matches you. If more than

one answer applies, number them in order from 1-5.

1) You are at a holiday party with a dazzling array of amazing foods—pumpkin pie, cranberry

dressing, stuffing, candied yams. You say to yourself:

a. Agh! I am on a diet. These foods are all strict, no-nos! Oh well, I’ll start Monday.

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b. The food here looks amazing and it is a holiday after all! I don’t want to miss the opportunity

to eat all my favorites.

c. Everyone else is eating a lot. I guess it is okay for me too.

d. I get totally stressed out during the holidays! I’ll start eating better after the first of the year.

e. Holidays bring up a lot of memories and family drama. Eating makes me feel better right now.

2) Imagine that you are in a meeting. A sales representative brings in donuts. You’ve already

eaten breakfast. What do you say to yourself?

a. Donuts are all carbs and sugar. It’s more calories than a bagel. But, they are so yummy. Oh

what the heck! They are free after all.

b. I spotted my very favorite. Must. Have. One.

c. Everyone else, including my boss took a donut, I better have one too.

d. I’m so nervous in these meetings. I always nibble when I’m anxious.

e. I am so overwhelmed. I don’t know if I want one or not. You feel a little panicked and don’t

know what to do.

3) It’s almost lunchtime according to the clock. You have packed a great lunch. Your first

thought is:

a. The diet rule is to only eat at 12:00 on the dot. It’s agony but I can wait it out another half

hour. My breakfast was tiny and I’m starving.

b. I’ve been daydreaming about what I packed all morning. I just can’t wait any

longer. Everything I love to eat!

c. I better wait so I can eat with my friends in the lunchroom. I’ll feel weird if I’m the only one

without a lunch.

d. This day has been so rough. I deserve my lunch, right now.


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e. I need routine. If I eat this now, it will mess up the flow of my entire day. I need to just wait

until it is “time.”

4) You are eating with your significant other or a friend at a restaurant. You think to yourself:

a. It’s not fair. How can he eat all that and I get this little tiny portion. It’s annoying.

b. This is a great restaurant. They have fantastic bread. I just can’t seem to help myself when

the basket is in front of me. It’s so dense and fresh.

c. He/she is going to want to share an appetizer or dessert. I can’t say no.

d. I have trouble ordering. I will just order something quickly and get it over with.

e. I’m just going to order what he/she is having. I don’t know what I want. Letting him/her order

is so much easier.

5) You’ve encountered your favorite comfort food—mac and cheese. You say to yourself:

a. Don’t do it. It’s got so many calories! This is will completely derail my diet and I will never get

back on track.

b. It’s so creamy and rich. A little sprinkle of bacon would make it even better. Bacon on

anything is incredible.

c. This reminds me of being a kid—eating it right after school when I got home. It’s my favorite

childhood meal.

d. Nothing soothes me like a bowl of mac and cheese. Instant zen.

e. I need to numb out. I’m too overwhelmed. While I’m eating I don’t think about anything

else.

6) When I eat chocolate I think:

a. I feel so guilty.

b. Chocolate is one of the foods I crave.


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c. I might bake a pan of brownies and bring it to a friend so I can have some too.

d. It’s my go-to food when I am stressed out!

e. When I am upset, I eat chocolate I have a hard time stopping. I feel like it will make me happy

but I never quite get there.

7) Imagine you have been eating your favorite ice cream. You’ve just overeaten. You say to

yourself.

a) How could I have been so stupid! I’ll start my diet tomorrow.

b) Oh well, it was so good and too hard to stop.

c) Doesn’t everyone overeat ice cream?

d) I had a hard day, I needed it.

e) I could eat even more.

8) You know a lot about nutrition but still can’t seem to eat healthier because.

a) I haven’t found the “right” diet yet.

b) I just love food too much.

c) My significant other is often sabotaging my efforts.

d) Life is too stressful. I’ll start when I am less overwhelmed.

e) I can’t think about it right now. I don’t even know where to start.

9) I am most vulnerable to emotional eating when:

a) I am on a diet. Dieting stresses me out trying to fight off the urge to eat good food.


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b) When I am around tasty food. I eat it just because it’s there.

c) When I’m bored. Food keeps me entertained.

d) When I’m stressed out. Stress=comfort eating.

e) I’m very upset, when something triggers me to think about a distressing incident from the past.

10) When you are trying to distinguish between being physically hungry and full, I:

a) It seems like I feel hungry most of the time.

b) I could eat anytime even if I’m not hungry if it looks good enough.

c) Even if I’m not hungry, I’ll eat if someone else is eating.

d) When I’m stressed, I feel hungry all the time.

e) When I’m stressed and overwhelmed, I don’t even think about food. Sometimes I even forget to

eat or have no idea of I am hungry or not.

11) When I’m busy:

a) I find it harder to watch what I eat. It’s tougher to follow a diet plan and I get off track easily.

b) I forget that I’m watching what I eat and eat what looks good to me.

c) I just eat whatever is easiest, most convenient.

d) I get easily distracted. I don’t have time for healthy eating.

c) I shut down and stop trying to eat healthier.

12) When I see a new diet product/food plan:

a) I am the first to buy it! I am willing to try anything.


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b) I’m skeptical. Realistically, I can’t cut out certain foods from my diet.

c) I call my friend and see if she will do this new diet with me.

d) I don’t think it will work for me. I don’t have time for it.

c) I often try something for a short time and then something happens and I get off track. It’s very

difficult for me to get back on track once I’ve fallen off the diet/food plan. I tend to think I do it

perfectly or I’ve failed at it miserably.

Count up your number #1 answers.

A____ B____ C____ D_____ E______

A. Answers: The Diehard Dieter: You have likelytried every diet in existence. Old diet mantras and dieting advice often tap you on the

shoulder and make it difficult to choose what to do. You want to follow the diet “rules” but

sometimes they don’t sync up with your cravings. It’s likely that you often experience an

emotional tug of war in your head when trying to decide what to eat. You may find yourself

constantly delaying getting started or giving up. Your task is to de-program the diet

rules! Chapter 4 of EatQ will help to reset your diet mentality and rewire your brain not to

fall for old, out of date dieting rules. The chapter reveals how the latest fad diet has

manipulated your mind and why taking a different route could be a needle moving answer.

EATQ EXERCISE EXAMPLE: Think Decide & Determine. Old dieting mantas and get in the

way such as thoughts like, “I shouldn’t eat that” or “that is so bad!” Research indicates that

this kind of negative language sabotages your efforts rather than helps it. Rather than

judging yourself, ask, “Am I eating mindfully?” This positive, proactive language will help

put the inner critic to rest.

B. Answer: Pleasure Pleaser: Your tongue rules theroost. You like food good and when it is around it is hard to say no. You would benefit fromadvice on how to enjoy luscious food without going overboard. Mindful eating can turn this

around for you. In chapter 5 of EatQ, there are concrete strategies for still eating the foods

you love but in a mindful way. The good news is that you don’t have to give up tasty foods

for those that taste like cardboard. No more starving!

FAVORITE FOOD TO PRACTICE EATING MINDFULLY


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If you must eat, try a mandarin orange—one of my favorite antidotes to comfort foods and

a food that is pleasurable. They are sweet and low in calories. They contain a boost of

vitamin C which is helpful to the immune system when feeling stressed. Best of all, use the

peeling process to calm down and meditatively peel each piece one by one. With each

section, think of one calming thought as you eat it (ex: this too shall pass). Eat slowly and

savor.

C. Answers: Social Animal Eater: You tend to be socialand follow other people’s lead. You may find yourself eating when others are munching just to

fit in or you keep pace with your significant other’s snacking. You may struggle with food

pushers or saying “no” to your significant other or friends that suggest you get dessert when

you don’t really want one. You may wish to focus on concrete strategies for creatingboundaries, saying a firm “no” to food pushers and tips on how to stop matching your

significant other bite for bite. Chapter 6 will provide all the answers you need!

EATQ EXERCISE EXAMPLE:

According to studies in the journal, Appetite, we tend to eat at exactly the same rate as those

around us. Even when we are eating with people we don’t know well. It’s called behavioral

mimicry and we don’t even realize we fall in sync with others like stepping into a line dance!

The antidote? When you start eating, intentionally set your pace. Stagger your bites with the

person you are eating with and/or decide to eat slower. The slower you eat, the more in charge

you will be of your eating.

D. Answers Stressed Out Snacker: When stress is high,so is your appetite. Knowing the stress-food connection can lower your guilt and give you

concrete techniques for coping effectively with stress. Actively and strategically calming down


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your fight or flight system can do wonders for managing your appetite. Focus on activities that

soothe and calm you without eating—such as meditation, a cup of hot tea, relaxation,

unplugging for five minutes, yoga poses etc. Chapter 7 will explain how to avoid letting stress

get the better of you at the table.

EATQ EXERCISE EXAMPLE: THE BEST FOOD FOR STRESS EATERS: The best foods to helping youprevent stress eating are those that regulate your blood sugar. One of my favorites is pistachios. They

are the lowest calorie and in fat of the nuts. Also, because they come in shells, you have to open them

slowly, thus reducing the number you eat and making you more mindful of how much you are eating.

The shells leave a visual cue.

Prescription: Rather than turn off the stress, ride it out like a wave. Think, Calm &

Cool strategies (to calm and cool down the body and the fight and flight response). There are

many ways to reduce the cortisol naturally. Cool down emotions by 2 minutes of yoga or deep

breathing—anything that will slow down your body and it’s natural stress response. Lean in to

the feeling, not out.

EATQ EXERCISE EXAMPLE: RAG DOLL

Here is one way to calm down your body without calories. Pretend you are a rag doll. You will

notice how tense your body is when you let go. Tighten every muscle and then let go again.

Scrunch your shoulders up for 3 seconds and then drop them. Repeat. Drop your entire body

for a few moments. The contrast will help to relax your body.

E: Answers: A-wire Appetite Eater: You may have

experienced a lot of surprise or difficulty in your life—maybe even trauma. Trauma can be

anything from bullying as a kid, loss of a significant other, divorce, feeling bad about your body

or an accident. It’s anything that was very painful to deal with. This makes it difficult to know

what you feel. Your emotions may be magnified—feeling them very intensely or you may be

completely cut off from your feelings. Sometimes you may not know how to respond to the

way you feel. At other times, food numbs out your feelings or temporarily fills an emotional


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hole. And sometimes you don’t know if you are really hungry or not—a feeling is really at the

root of your eating. If this sounds like you, chapter 8 will guide the way.

Boredom eating: Feeling bored? Avoid the munchies with Delay & Distract strategies.

EATQ EXERCISE EXAMPLE:

Make a deal with yourself. When you feel the urge to comfort eat, pop a sugar free mint in

your mouth. Use that as a gauge to pass the time. By the time it dissolves, you are usually onto

the next task. Learn to tolerate. It’s not easy. Our world doesn’t teach us to be bored

gracefully. Shift boredom into relaxation. Put your feet up. Close your eyes. Unplug your

phone. Learn to relax. Move your thoughts from “I’m bored” to “I welcome a moment of calm

and quiet.”

It’s also important to engage your mind in another activity that stimulates the frontal cortex.

We often move from one mindless activity to another (from mindless eating to mindless TV

watching). Sometimes that does the trick, but other times it leads to more frustration. In this

case, studies have shown that doing an activity that engages your visuospatial skills—a puzzle

for example. Something that takes some thought but isn’t too taxing.

**This is not a diagnostic or validated quiz. It’s just a quick and easy way to tune into yourself

and pinpoint your EatQ barriers.

5 STEPS TO ENDING EMOTIONAL

EATING RIGHT NOW!


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1.

DETERMINE:

Your first task is to determine if you are physically hungry or not. This is often easier said than

done. Use this chart to help you decide and know your triggers.


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Right now I am

feeling ___________________________________

_______________________________________

_______________________________________

_____________________________________


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2. DISTRACT:

Try this powerful, but simple exercise I created. Get out a piece of paper right now and write

down the answer to these five questions. Hang the list in a hot spot for emotional eating—on

your refrigerator, your desk, in your pantry, on the ice cream in the freezer. When you get the

urge to eat emotionally, try one of these methods for five minutes. If you can engaged your

mind in something else for this brief period of time, it is likely that urge to eat will pass if it is

emotionally based and not physical. Also, it’s important to have your options ready to go.

5-5-5-5-5 Exercise

FIVE Ways you RELAX (sit down, curl up on the couch, jog).

FIVE Things you DISTRACT YOURSELF (internet, flip through a magazine)

FIVE Places You GO to Feel Better (in your bed, in a quiet place)

FIVE People You Can CONNECT With (your best friend, your mother, your

therapist)

FIVE Positive things you can TELL yourself (mantras, quotes).

_______________________________________ _______________________________________

_______________________________________

_______________________________________

_______________________________________

_______________________________________


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3. Derail Stress Eating

Swap out stress eating with other options. Here are some of the best! Stress raises your

cortisol level which makes you crave sugary, fatty foods. These techniques are a few examples

of things that reduce your emotional eating.

Create a Self -Soothing Tool Kit . Fill a box with soothing items such as bubble bath,gum, tea bags, journal, bubble wrap to squeeze when angry etc. These items reduce your

cortisol level. Keep this box handy and in places where you often comfort eating such as on

your desk or in your pantry.

Self -Massage. People naturally do self-massage when stressed like rubbing their templesor feet. Intentionally and purposefully massaging tight spots can release feel-good chemicals.

Place a tennis ball under your foot and rub. Or, place the ball behind your shoulder bladesagainst the wall. It's an instant, cheap massage!

Say Ho, Ho, Ho. Laughing yoga has been clinically shown to decrease cortisol levels. Yourbody doesn't know the difference between laughter prompted by a joke and when it is

artificially created. This is easy. Just create a ho, ho, ho kind of Santa laughter. Do it three

times in a row. This may feel silly but will likely prompt real laughter that will lower your stress

level and consequently reduce stress eating.

Soothing Tea Time. A cup of black tea can also reduce your cortisol levels by 47%according to a study in the journal Psychopharmology . (If you love chocolate, try chocolate tea

by Republic of Tea).

Stretch. Feeling the urge to comfort eat? Choose your favorite yoga pose or stretch. Setyour timer for 5 minutes. When you don’t immediately respond to the urge to eat, it often

passes. Try the Warrior Pose. Imagine fighting off comfort eating. If you aren’t familiar with

yoga, just cross your legs, child-style, close your eyes and enjoy a few moments of quiet.

Imagine emptying your mind like a trash can—dumping out all your thoughts.

Grab a Peppermint Stick .

Peppermint is not only calming but it helps to curb your

appetite according to several studies. If you are having a craving or are seeking comfort food,

suck on a candy cane, peppermint stick or round candy. It will take a long time to eat and can

keep your hands and mind occupied.

FIND MORE TECHQNIUES TO CALM AND SOOTHE YOURSELF WITHOUT FOOD IN EATQ!


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4.

DIRECT Your Thoughts toward

Motivation

Choose a mantra or a saying to help point your thoughts in a positive direction and away from

all the self-sabotage and excuses. Repeat it to yourself several times a day.

1. One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well. -Virginia Woolf

2. Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you who you are. -Brillat-Savarin

3. Let food be thy medicine, thy medicine shall be thy food. - Hippocrates

4. Part of the secret of success in life is to eat what you like and let the food fight it out inside. -

Mark Twain

5. Better to eat a dry crust of bread with peace of mind than have a banquet in a house full of

trouble. -Proverbs

6. The more you eat, the less flavor; the less you eat, the more flavor. -Chinese Proverb

7. The spirit cannot endure the body when overfed, but, if underfed, the body cannot endure

the spirit. -St Frances de Sales

8. The doctor of the future will give no medication, but will interest his patients in the care of

the human frame, diet and in the cause and prevention of disease. -Thomas A. Edison

9. One should eat to live, not live to eat -Benjamin Franklin

10. When walking, walk. When eating, eat. -Rashaski · Zen Proverb

My MANTRA IS:_______________________

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Your thoughts can help or hinder your efforts to change your ways and eat healthier. A few

helpful words can make all the difference. It often begins with rewiring the way you think and

being strategic about how you talk to yourself. These are some phrases that I hear time and

again from people who have been successful and inspiring!

WHEN YOU MIND SAYS:

“Who cares”

“I’ll start tomorrow”

“Oh well, I will fail anyway.”

Say to yourself instead:

1) “Try, Try Again.” Let’s face it. We all have days when we slip up and mindlessly overeat.

People who are successful at changing their eating habits know that when you fall down, it’s

important to get back up and give it another try. Being resilient, a key skill of emotional

intelligence, can help you to work through eating setbacks instead of spiraling.

2) “It’s a Process.” It would be nice to achieve your goals quickly. But, change doesn’t happen

overnight. A great motto: Pace, Not Race.

3) “Tomorrow is Another Day.” Scarlett O’Hara was onto something. Letting go of the past and

starting fresh each day is key to change. Dwelling keeps you stuck. Begin each new day with a

focus on “right now,” not yesterday or tomorrow.

4) “Progress, Not Perfection.” As long as you are going in the right direction, give yourself a

round of applause. Setting up unrealistic standards can cause frustration and prompt you to

give up.

5) “It’s Not about the Scale.” Even if your goal is to lose weight, people who are successful at it

often put the scale aside for a while. They don’t obsess about the numbers. For them, a scale

can be a tool and an objective measure, not a weapon to make you feel bad about yourself. As

one of my clients so aptly put, "a scale also can’t measure your self -confidence or energy level."

6) “Less Is More.” It’s not about eating more food. It’s about savoring the foods you love. When

you enjoy food more, you eat less of it. Motto: Eat food mindfully!

7) “No, Thank You.” People who revamp their diet often get good at saying no to food when

they genuinely aren’t hungry. But more importantly saying “no” with tact and grace to food

pushers and sabotagers is key. You may also benefit from getting better at giving a firm "no" to

things you don’t want to do (which often causes resentment and stress eating!).

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8) “It’s healthy or unhealthy, not good or bad.” People who change their relationship with

food don’t label food as “good” or “bad.” These are judgments. Instead, they size up food by

how it makes them feel (great, sluggish, bloated, etc). This prevents you from labeling yourself

as “bad” for eating it.

9) “Just do it!" It emphasizes that action is key. Many of my clients stop talking about changeand find actions to support their intentions. Go for a walk. Bring a fruit snack. It's more about

effort than outcome.

10) “I’m One of a Kind.” It’s tempting to compare yourself to celebrities or a friend. You are

unique. When you notice yourself sizing up your progress next to someone else, think again.

Comparing yourself to someone else is a recipe for disappointment and unrealistic

expectations. Be the most mindful version of YOU!


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5. Delicious: Eat Mindfully

If you scored high on the pleasure eating, it is important for you to read this section. You can

STILL eat the foods you love, but do so MINDFULLY. If you must eat comfort foods, here is how

to do it.

For many people, it is okay to eat chocolate rather than completely avoid it. Not only would

eliminating chocolate be no fun, but it also isn’t realistic. Diet books want you to believe that

you can eradicate chocolate and other treats from your life. Instead, learn how to eat chocolate

and other foods you crave in a mindful way.

Why does slowing down and eating candy mindfully help? You are often thinking about the

next piece of candy before you even finish the one you are enjoying. This is when you reach

for more. Maybe the next piece will make me happy, you say to yourself. Remember that you

can eat an entire candy bar and not really taste one bite. Eating chocolate mindfully is intendedto help you to really get joy from it and to eat just enough to feel satisfied. This is such a

challenge.

Steps to Mindfully Eating Chocolate & Other Foods You

Love: Use one chocolate kiss or a mini candy bar.

1. Notice the weight of a piece of chocolate in your hand. Look at it closely.

2. Observe the shape and color. Use at least three words to describe it to yourself.

3. As you unwrap it, listen closely to the crinkle of the foil or paper.

4. Bring the chocolate up to your nose, and inhale deeply. Notice what thoughts come in your

mind as you do this. The smell of chocolate can bring up some powerful feelings and memories.

Deeply Inhale.


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5. Do any critical thoughts come up like, "I shouldn’t eat this"? If so, let the thoughts come and

go as if you are letting go of a balloon.

6. Place the chocolate in your mouth. Notice the flavor, richness, and texture. Pay attention to

how the sensations change as it melts and molds to your mouth.

7. Follow the sensations as the chocolate slips down your throat into your stomach.

This is how you can eat chocolate mindfully. Again, it takes practice. Notice how different this is

from popping pieces of chocolate mindlessly into your mouth.

Other Helpful Hints:

1) Practice mindfully eating chocolate before you have a craving, when you are in a good mood.

It’s like learning how to swim. You don’t want to practice swimming during big waves. Get the

hang of it when things are calm.

2) For yourself, considering buying one expensive piece of quality chocolate to eat

mindfully. Pass up any other cheap, low quality versions.

3) Put chocolate and cookies away. Out of sight, out of mind (for the most part). The harder it is

to get to the treats in the back of the closet or up on a high shelf, the better. You are likely to

make the effort to get it when you really want it.


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BONUS: Coping with Cravings

Shake Your Head No. Do you ever say to yourself, “I didn’t want another cookie but my hand

seemed to have a mind of its own!” According to embodied cognition theory in psychology, a

helpful step is to match the thought, “No,” with the corresponding body language. Shake yourhead no, clench your fists, and lean back.

Focus on "now?" gains!

We naturally lean toward short-term rather than long-term pleasure. So, take a moment to

think about or jot down a list what you gain now, in this moment, when you pass up, say, a

second slice of pie. It might be avoiding regret later, feeling proud or yourself or not feeling

bloated. This is what you will experience RIGHT NOW.

When in doubt, chill out! You may think using action words like willpower, fight or exert will

help strengthen your resolve, but the latest research suggests using more passive language like,

“relax” and “rest” work better. Therefore, instead of telling yourself, “Don’t you dare get off

the couch, fight your urge to go get the cookies in the kitchen.” Tell yourself, “Let’s just relax

and lay here. No need to get up!” We fighting with yourself is a recipe for disaster.

Don’t Peak! Cover your eyes. Studies show that closing our eyes helps us to think more

clearly. It takes away external stimuli so you can focus on the problem at hand. When craving

comfort food, close your eyes for a moment, and then consider a non-food alternative.

Think this, Not that. Notice Yourself Craving Food? Focus your mind on a neutral object (a

picture on the wall, a meadow). Studies show that when you are thinking about specific

comfort foods, picturing it in your mind activates that thought about what it tastes like (thinkabout how your body changes when you think about a lemon). You mind can only hold and

process so much information at once.


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THANK YOU!

I hope this was a helpful guide. Be sure to practice and remember that it takes

time to unravel your complex emotional relationship with food. But, it IS

POSSIBLE!

Do you LOVE the mindful eating approach? Are youwondering, “How do I

find out more?” There are more needle moving strategies in the book, EatQ! (find

on Amazon & Barnes & Noble). Buy the paperback version today!

www.eatq.com

At last-a book on eating well that puts everything you need to know in one place.

Brilliant! —Christiane Northrup, MD

“The key to achieving a long-term love affair with your body (and your food!) isn’t

about fad diets or guilt trips to the scale. It’s about harnessing your emotions.

Susan’s game plan to turn the proven power of emotional intelligence into eating

intelligence means happier, healthier, smarter eating!” —Daphne Oz, chef,

bestselling author, and cohost on ABC'S "The Chew"
http://eatq.com/?utm_source=TheEmotionalEaterEbook&utm_medium=MES2Welcome&utm_campaign=PDFhttp://eatq.com/?utm_source=TheEmotionalEaterEbook&utm_medium=MES2Welcome&utm_campaign=PDF

Documents

The Emotional Eater the eBook by Susan Albers PsyD 2