experiencelifemag.com Print › | Back › More Food Traps By Sheila Mulrooney Eldred March 2006 6. Bad Meeting Blues Your boss blames you for your coworker’s ineptitude, and you’re tempted to take solace in a Twinkie. A Quick Fix: Get some fresh air instead. A few moments of walking and sky gazing can help you put things back in perspective and take the edge off any emotionally-provoked cravings. When you get back, yank out your journal, write any residual frustration in a few choice words, then end the passage with some self-congratulation: You didn’t add insult to injury by eating something that would have done you more harm than good, which makes the day a success! A Long-Term Solution: Realize there’s a lot of science and habit going into that Twinkie craving — and that such cravings are rarely just isolated incidents. Rather, they are part of what Ellen Shuman, founder and director of A Weigh Out, calls “the doom loop” — an emotional eating cycle that takes more than willpower to interrupt. Shuman coaches her clients with a four-step model. It leads from unconscious negative behavior (Jane has a fight with her boss and finds herself in front of the vending machine eating candy) to conscious negative behavior (Jane has a fight with her boss, thinks about candy though she knows it won’t help, but eats is anyway because she doesn’t know any other way to tolerate her feelings) to conscious positive behavior (Jane has a fight with her boss and chooses to be mindful of what she’s thinking and feeling; she takes action based on her desired outcome and avoids her need to shutdown with candy). Ultimately, what every emotional eater would like to achieve is unconscious positive behavior (Jane has a fight with her boss, but rather than automatically turning to food as comfort, she is now in touch with her thoughts and feelings, and she has developed many new strategies for tolerating uncomfortable feelings without using food.) By developing your awareness about when you are triggered to eat by stress or anxiety, and by developing more constructive coping approaches, you not only reduce your exposure to “unplanned caloric events,” you also increase your confidence and self-esteem, making you less vulnerable to stresses of all kinds. A Risk-Reduction Tip: Emotional eating can cross the line into disordered eating. If you sense you might be suffering from (or even vulnerable to) an eating disorder, seek the help of a professional who can help you break the cycle. If you’ve simply gotten into the habit of food as a reward, seize the opportunity to shift into some healthier, more self-loving behaviors. “You have to develop an adult coping system,” says Stephen Gullo, author of The Thin Commandments Diet (Rodale, 2005). You might treat yourself to a massage, listen to your favorite song, pick a card from a wisdom or affirmation deck, say a serenity prayer, or reach out to a friend or significant other who you can help you sort through your stressful situation in more productive way. 7. Conference Call Survival You’re faced with hours in a conference room with nothing but candy and caffeine to keep you awake. A Quick Fix: Hijack the water pitcher or grab a big mug of herbal tea. It’s harder to fall asleep with a full bladder — and frequent, short walks to the restroom will revive your energy. A Long-term Solution: Arrive well-fed and pack along your own snacks. Or, while you’re at the breakfast buffet, grab an extra cup of yogurt and a banana for later. “Conference snack food is notoriously horrible,” says Lance Odegard, a national technology manager with Thomson. “But it can still be a big challenge to resist a table full of cookies if you have nothing better to snack on — particularly if everyone else is eating.” Ditto if that candy bowl is right in front of you. A Risk-Reduction Tip: Start thinking less about caloric intake and more about your body chemistry. Those hard candies may seem innocuous enough at just 25 or so calories apiece, but the sugar can wreak havoc with your glycemic index and prompt a binge later. You might be better of with a 100 calories worth of protein-rich cheese.

More Food Traps

6. Bad Meeting Blues
Your boss blames you for your coworker’s ineptitude, and you’re tempted to take solace in a Twinkie.

A Quick Fix: Get some fresh air instead. A few moments of walking and sky gazing can help you put things back in perspective and take the edge off any emotionally-provoked cravings. When you get back, yank out your journal, write any residual frustration in a few choice words, then end the passage with some self-congratulation: You didn’t add insult to injury by eating something that would have done you more harm than good, which makes the day a success!

A Long-Term Solution: Realize there’s a lot of science and habit going into that Twinkie craving — and that such cravings are rarely just isolated incidents. Rather, they are part of what Ellen Shuman, founder and director of A Weigh Out, calls “the doom loop” — an emotional eating cycle that takes more than willpower to interrupt. Shuman coaches her clients with a four-step model. It leads from unconscious negative behavior (Jane has a fight with her boss and finds herself in front of the vending machine eating candy) to conscious negative behavior (Jane has a fight with her boss, thinks about candy though she knows it won’t help, but eats is anyway because she doesn’t know any other way to tolerate her feelings) to conscious positive behavior (Jane has a fight with her boss and chooses to be mindful of what she’s thinking and feeling; she takes action based on her desired outcome and avoids her need to shutdown with candy). Ultimately, what every emotional eater would like to achieve is unconscious positive behavior (Jane has a fight with her boss, but rather than automatically turning to food as comfort, she is now in touch with her thoughts and feelings, and she has developed many new strategies for tolerating uncomfortable feelings without using food.)

By developing your awareness about when you are triggered to eat by stress or anxiety, and by developing more constructive coping approaches, you not only reduce your exposure to “unplanned caloric events,” you also increase your confidence and self-esteem, making you less vulnerable to stresses of all kinds.

A Risk-Reduction Tip: Emotional eating can cross the line into disordered eating. If you sense you might be suffering from (or even vulnerable to) an eating disorder, seek the help of a professional who can help you break the cycle.

If you’ve simply gotten into the habit of food as a reward, seize the opportunity to shift into some healthier, more self-loving behaviors. “You have to develop an adult coping system,” says Stephen Gullo, author of The Thin Commandments Diet (Rodale, 2005). You might treat yourself to a massage, listen to your favorite song, pick a card from a wisdom or affirmation deck, say a serenity prayer, or reach out to a friend or significant other who you can help you sort through your stressful situation in more productive way.

7. Conference Call Survival
You’re faced with hours in a conference room with nothing but candy and caffeine to keep you awake.

A Quick Fix: Hijack the water pitcher or grab a big mug of herbal tea. It’s harder to fall asleep with a full bladder — and frequent, short walks to the restroom will revive your energy.

A Long-term Solution: Arrive well-fed and pack along your own snacks. Or, while you’re at the breakfast buffet, grab an extra cup of yogurt and a banana for later. “Conference snack food is notoriously horrible,” says Lance Odegard, a national technology manager with Thomson. “But it can still be a big challenge to resist a table full of cookies if you have nothing better to snack on — particularly if everyone else is eating.” Ditto if that candy bowl is right in front of you.

A Risk-Reduction Tip: Start thinking less about caloric intake and more about your body chemistry. Those hard candies may seem innocuous enough at just 25 or so calories apiece, but the sugar can wreak havoc with your glycemic index and prompt a binge later. You might be better of with a 100 calories worth of protein-rich cheese.

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