You Are Not Alone

I used to feel so alone. That my eating habits were one of a kind. I'm beginning to realize that most people have a comfort relationship to food. I am certainly jealous of those who don't. I feel like I have come a long way, although I am not perfect. I still have bad days, where I just don't care and don't want to think about the consequences. Comfort food is a true honest battle for me. I know we all have our weaknesses, and I can fully admit that food is one of them for me. I have used food to self medicate myself since my parents divorced when I was thirteen. Eating, overeating, allows me to fill the basic need for comfort in that moment when the emotions are going wild. And yes, I want all you comfort eaters to realize, IT IS ONLY A MOMENT! Sure comfort eating might make us feel better for a moment, and I absolutely realize that moment feels worth it. A moment of pleasure sounds better than just dealing with my emotions in a moment of weakness. I have been working on a measure of forgiveness to myself. And, I can honestly say, after many years, I think I have achieved it! How do I know that? Because I don't give up on myself anymore. I keep moving forward because I want to conquer this battle. When I have the anxiety to eat, I force myself to work through the emotions. If I do, when the emotions are over, I feel a great sense of accomplishment. When I give in, it is a temporary fix. Not only do I feel physically sick, but my emotions feel worse than when I started.

So here is my encouragement: I challenge all you emotional eaters out there to feel the accomplishment of success. Forgive yourself for past mistakes, move forward, and overcome this challenge. If you are like me, this is the hardest thing you will ever do, but it will be the most rewarding!