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Copyright © Adrian Jenkinson 2008
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Lose Inches Not Pounds
Stop Dieting To Lose Inches
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Why Exercise To Lose Inches
Exercises To Lose Inches
Comfort Eating
Responsibility To Lose Inches
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About Us
Lose Inches Not Pounds
Stop Dieting To Lose Inches
Diet Alternatives
Why Exercise To Lose Inches
Exercises To Lose Inches
Comfort Eating
Responsibility To Lose Inches
Good Habits Lose Inches
About Us
NB When we use the terms 'weight loss' and 'lose weight' on this website we are not referring literally to the the act of losing weight, but to the more general contemporary meaning which most people understand as 'size loss' and 'lose size'
Lose Inches Dot Info
Beat Comfort Eating To Lose Inches
What is comfort eating? Sometimes called emotional eating, comfort eating could be described loosely as the times that you eat for reasons other than hunger. So we’re talking about eating when:
In fact, just about any emotion you could think of. In addition comfort eating can by association. For example a good film just wouldn’t be the same without a tub of popcorn to cuddle and munch upon for some people, or perhaps you just can’t settle down to do some serious net surfing without a bar of chocolate by your side.
Either way, these forms of overeating can be tough cookies to crack, because we are dealing with ingrained forms of behaviour, which very often is a result of the subconscious.
We eat when we feel specific emotions because we are trying to avoid feeling that emotion. The endorphins released by the brain when we eat something really delicious do just enough to take away the pain of an undesired emotion.
In these cases, it is not always enough to make an attempt at changing your lifestyle in order to lose inches, there could be deep-seated reasons why we feel the way we do, and why we don’t really want to feel like that. (Another reason why diets don’t work!)
Try to approach this in stages. If you decide to to simply stop your comfort eating and go cold turkey you may have success for a little while, but sooner or later you will almost certainly falter and you could possibly finish up with more intense overeating than when you first started.
In these cases, it is not always enough to make an attempt at changing your lifestyle in order to lose inches, there could be deep-seated reasons why we feel the way we do, and why we don’t really want to feel like that. (Another reason why diets don’t work!)
Try to approach this in stages. If you decide to to simply stop your comfort eating and go cold turkey you may have success for a little while, but sooner or later you will almost certainly falter and you could possibly finish up with more intense overeating than when you first started.
The next time you feel the urge to eat on an emotional basis, don’t attempt to deny yourself the food that you crave, but instead, take a minute to ask yourself how you are feeling and why. Write down your findings, then go ahead and eat!
Carry on like this until you have made approximately ten notes. You will see a pattern developing, it could be that the feelings are usually the same, or that the circumstances are similar. Having done this, the next time you feel the urge to eat emotionally, try to recognise your feelings at the time. Acknowledge to yourself exactly how you are feeling and why before you eat.
We are all different, and there will be many reasons why we are trying to avoid experiencing feelings. In extreme cases it could be that a psychiatrist is the correct way to go. If you think this is you, start off by seeing your doctor, and see what he/she says.
Beat Comfort Eating To Lose Inches Stage Four
For the other, more fortunate emotional eaters, this is where you begin your journey to ween yourself off those comforting nibbles. Try talking to someone. A friend, a relative, anyone you trust. Talk about your feelings. Your confessor may not know what to do or say but that doesn’t matter so much, the point is that you will be talking about your feelings, and talking is a powerful aid of dealing with issues.
Carry on like this until you have made approximately ten notes. You will see a pattern developing, it could be that the feelings are usually the same, or that the circumstances are similar. Having done this, the next time you feel the urge to eat emotionally, try to recognise your feelings at the time. Acknowledge to yourself exactly how you are feeling and why before you eat.
We are all different, and there will be many reasons why we are trying to avoid experiencing feelings. In extreme cases it could be that a psychiatrist is the correct way to go. If you think this is you, start off by seeing your doctor, and see what he/she says.
Beat Comfort Eating To Lose Inches Stage Four
For the other, more fortunate emotional eaters, this is where you begin your journey to ween yourself off those comforting nibbles. Try talking to someone. A friend, a relative, anyone you trust. Talk about your feelings. Your confessor may not know what to do or say but that doesn’t matter so much, the point is that you will be talking about your feelings, and talking is a powerful aid of dealing with issues.
Beat Comfort Eating To Lose Inches Stage Five
If you have completed stages one to four, the next time you feel the urge to eat emotionally, stop - you are used to that anyway by now, right? You need to understand that it is perfectly ok for you to experience these feelings that you have tried to avoid in the past.
Ask yourself; “what is the worst that will happen to me if I allow myself to experience this feeling?” of course, nothing will happen. You will be like many others, experiencing the ups and downs that make life so rich. So now you are ready, make a decision not to eat, but to acknowledge and experience your feelings. It may be strange at first, possibly quite difficult, but you must take this first step.
Beat Comfort Eating To Lose Inches Stage Six
Having taken the first step try to keep it up. You don’t want to start going backwards now after all that input! Have courage and commitment, pretty soon you will have have kicked that emotional eating habit, and those inches may just become a little easier to lose!
If you have completed stages one to four, the next time you feel the urge to eat emotionally, stop - you are used to that anyway by now, right? You need to understand that it is perfectly ok for you to experience these feelings that you have tried to avoid in the past.
Ask yourself; “what is the worst that will happen to me if I allow myself to experience this feeling?” of course, nothing will happen. You will be like many others, experiencing the ups and downs that make life so rich. So now you are ready, make a decision not to eat, but to acknowledge and experience your feelings. It may be strange at first, possibly quite difficult, but you must take this first step.
Beat Comfort Eating To Lose Inches Stage Six
Having taken the first step try to keep it up. You don’t want to start going backwards now after all that input! Have courage and commitment, pretty soon you will have have kicked that emotional eating habit, and those inches may just become a little easier to lose!