My Mum first took me to Weight Watchers aged 8 and I can remember stashing food in my bedroom to eat when no-one was watching from around that time.
I would describe myself as an emotional eater, a comfort eater. But I also really love great food, enjoy cooking and fine dining. It's not only about eating to fill a void.
In recent years I've begun to challenge and change this relationship, mainly be focussing on my own language in relation to food. Foods are no longer ‘good' or ‘bad', they are just foods. Some may be more or less helpful to me than others. And I'm not being ‘good' or ‘bad' either. I'm being me. Darren has been instrumental in supporting my changing dialogue with food and gently pointing out if some unhelpful language or thoughts creep back in.
If you've been to any slimming clubs in your life, perhaps you'll notice their language. Some talk about points - a reward system, where good behaviour is implicit to obtaining points. Some talk about sins - embedding the feelings of wrongdoing around certain foods. I haven't come across any organised slimming club which has encouraged a healthy dialogue and relationship with food.
Just before Christmas last year, I began seeing a Coach myself as I wanted to unpick one or two unhelpful behaviours that had contributed to a relationship breakdown (yes, Coaches have Coaches, we aren't perfect either you know!). In our second session, I had a major lightbulb moment around emotional safety which then led me to consider my emotional eating. My brain will order me to eat when I'm feeling vulnerable. In my case, it fills a void. Now I'm learning to fill that void in other ways, and establishing some considerably more helpful internal dialogue of positive self worth.
My story will be familiar to many of you out there. If you are struggling with your relationship to food, talking to a Coach like me can really help you. This short piece in the Huffington Post has some helpful tactical ideas, talking to a Coach will help you uncover and move forward from the source issue.
