Here's Some Food for Thought

"Make peace with food. 

Live the life you hunger for." 

-Dr. Melissa McCreery

In my attempts to make peace with food, here's what I am learning: What I eat is much less important than how much I eat, and the most important thing of all is this: What I'm hungry for probably has nothing to do with food.

Mentally healthy folks get hungry, and they eat until they are satisfied. I, on the other hand, can be full, right after having had a meal, and if I am emotional, I can work my way through all sorts of food, until it's "time" for the next meal. I have a feeling I am not the only one who turns to food to soothe, comfort, and entertain when I am anxious, sad, or bored.

I've been spending a lot of time sorting through thoughts, examining my behavior, and reading everything I can get my hands on about eating disorders, intuitive eating, and stopping a binge before it starts. As I share my journey here, I'm finding my words resonate with some of you. Today I would like to post some of my favorite resources that are especially informative, motivational, or encouraging, for any of you who would like more of that. (Links below.) 

Here are some of the references that are furthering my understanding of emotional eating, and helping me navigate my way to better health and self-compassion.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT:

Intuitive Eating (Elizabeth Peterson, Registered Dietitian)

How to Not Eat Cake...Really fast, standing up, when nobody's looking. (Isabel Foxen Duke, health coach)

Five tips for ending mindless eating (Dr. Melissa McCreery)

Read Me If You Want to Be Less Fat This Year (Jen Lancaster, not an expert, but her personal experience of doing the emotional work that led to weight loss for her was very inspirational to me.)

Five Steps to Self-Care and Getting a Positive Body Image (Anne-Sophie Reinhard, life coach and eating psychology coach)

Why Diets Make Us Fat (Sandra Aamodt, neuroscientist. There is a plug for her book, and also the video of her TedTalk is in the link.)

Twelve Little Ways to Show Self-Compassion to Yourself  (Marissa Higgins, writer for Bustle.com)