Finding Motivation on Those Tough Days
Food provides us with a lot of benefits: nutrition, nourishment, vitamins and minerals, energy, and many other things we need to survive. What it doesn’t provide is emotional support, yet it’s something many of us turn to for comfort when we feel stressed, anxious, or angry. Often, you may not even think about the fact that you’re reaching for that Snickers as a response — and a way to distract yourself — after a fight with a family member or receiving scary news about a loved one. When you turn to emotional eating as a way of coping, though, you run the risk of overeating and eating food that isn’t necessarily nutritious, reversing all the progress you’ve made toward your health and fitness goals. As Mayo Clinic explains, “Emotional eating is eating as a way to suppress or soothe negative emotions, such as stress, anger, fear, boredom, sadness, and loneliness.” It’s understandable and absolutely okay to feel these emotions, but there are healthier options for processing them than turning to food to make you feel better. Here are a few to incorporate into your routine. Find a healthy outlet for stress. Exercise is really beneficial when it comes to managing and responding to stressful situations. You may also find mindfulness exercises helpful. Try a yoga class and focus on breathing or use a meditation app like Calm or Headspace to spend 10 minutes a day meditating. Start a food journal. Tracking what you eat, when you eat, and how you feel when you eat may help you notice patterns around your eating and snacking habits. Keep healthy snacks around (and toss out sugary, processed ones). Make healthy choices easier by making them the only choice. Keep carrots and celery on hand and dip them in nut butter or hummus. Have nuts and seeds stocked and eat them alongside fresh fruit. Removing temptation may be half the battle. Plus, nutritious food will keep you full longer and may prevent overeating. Eat for Nutrition and Energy, Not for Your Feelings How to Curb Emotional Eating
Whether your New Year’s workout routine is finally embedded in your schedule or you’re still trying to make it happen, always remember that your mind is just as important as your body. On some days, you may feel like anything is possible, and on others, it may feel impossible to even get out of bed. Don’t worry, that’s totally normal! There’s no reason to feel ashamed if you’re struggling with gaining steam and motivation for your workout. Here are some mental strategies to help you get firmly into your routine this year and the years to come. STARTING YOUR WORKOUT What’s the hardest part of working out? For most people, it’s not the heavy weights or the long cardio sessions — it’s actually beginning. Sometimes, people will wake up and think that the gym or an at-home workout isn’t possible that day as they lay in bed. Some people will psych themselves out of working out because their time is limited, or they worry about how tired they’ll be after the workout (especially after or before a busy day). Instead of thinking of reasons you can’t or don’t want to go, focus your mind only on the task of starting. Stepping into your workout space will often give you the mental push to actually work out. It’s also best to leave the all-or-nothing mindset behind — a 45- or 55-minute workout isn’t required every single session. Life happens, and even if it’s a short exercise, your workout will actually energize you for the rest of your day. PUSHING YOURSELF TO THE LIMIT Studies have found that the most successful people share grit: the ability to work hard and endure even the most difficult times. Workouts will burn, and the motions may feel uncomfortable or even painful, so it’s crucial to have the grit to push yourself to the limit. Rather than give up, you should embrace the pain and see it as a sign you’re growing stronger. Adjust your inner vocabulary. Anything that seems “uncomfortable” should be reconsidered as “intense” but something you can work through. Of course, be careful of injury pains!
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If you try some of these strategies but continue to struggle with emotional eating, you can also seek support from a mental health professional. They can help you get to the bottom of your emotional eating and guide you in creating a healthier relationship with food and your emotions.
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