A Comprehensive Strategy To Combat Emotional Eating
One thing you may not know about me: I developed an eating disorder when I was 30 years old.
The catalyst?
Competing in a bikini bodybuilding competition (eye roll, I know, I know!!).
It’s not that I regret competing, I regret not being prepared for what it would mentally do to me afterwards.
For two years after my competition, I battled binge eating disorder and struggled with emotional eating.
I still have bouts with my BED and to this day, struggle with emotional eating.
But the reality is, I think most of us do.
One technique I’ve learned in order to help control my emotional eating is mindfulness.
We hear about mindfulness and the importance of taking the time out of our day to be “mindful” but, honestly, what the hell does that mean and what exactly does that look like?
I want to share some specific breathing techniques with you because the first step in becoming mindful is to become more present.
Becoming more present means paying attention to your breathe.
To put it simply- It all starts and ends with the breathe.
Below are five breathing techniques to help you the next time you go to reach for food, not because you’re hungry, but to cope with your emotions.
Try them out and let me know if they had any effect on you!
Box breathing
Diaphragmatic breathing
Pursed lip breathing
The 4-7-8 breathing technique
Alternate nostril breathing