I recently came across the book "50 ways to soothe yourself without food" I found it to be insightful. So I thought I would share some ideas from it with you.
I figured this book would relate great to my "30 Day Challenge".
So how do we self-sooth with food?
• Eating when we aren't hungry but can't stop ourselves (grazing)... remember we aren't cows.
• Searching for something to eat, but not being able to find something to satisfy so you just continue to eat.
• Eating to ease boredom or after a stressful event or while you are nervous.
There are so many reasons why we turn to food for it's self-soothing effects. Something unique I learned from "50 ways to soothe yourself without food" is when all you can think about is food concentrate on your senses.
It's the 5-4-3-2-1 method of counting on your senses
1. State one scent you can smell
2. Name two sounds you can hear
3. Describe three sensations your body is feeling, such as temperature, the texture of your clothes or your feet against the ground.
4. Identify the colors that you see.
5. To yourself, begin naming five things you see in front of you.
When you finish doing this, it's likely that you will be thinking about nothing, not even food... well of course unless food is directly in front of you. Repeat the steps until your thoughts are less clouded by food cravings. I have been focusing on doing this and have noticed that it is really starting to make a difference. It really gets me aware of other things besides shoveling food into my face. Worry Beads
Get a set of komboloi, which is the Greek word for worry beads. Massaging the beads in your hands has a calming and soothing effect. As a result your nerves will be calmed down and you will have a clear mind to focus on the clicking sound of the beads and not food.
the Scarlett O'Hara approachSnacking is often an avoidance technique. Instead of avoiding what is going on; create a box that will be the temporary storage for things that may be bothering you, or things you cannot deal with at the moment. When you struggle with a problem, write about it. Then stuff the piece of paper into the box. When you are ready to deal with a problem take it out of the box and deal with it by writing down your emotions. Keep your mind busy, and don't allow it to avoid situations when they get to be too "tough".
Teatime
If there is a pattern to your stress eating, you may want to schedule teatime for yourself at some point in the day when you might be prone to eat for emotional reasons. Black tea is said to lower stress hormones and chamomile is known for its calming properties. I have family in Scotland and they make sure that they take time for tea everyday. It helps them regroup. I noticed that when I was taking teatime for myself I was less prone to have emotional eating binges.
Yoga 
It's a great way to gain flexibility and just escape from the world. Yoga teaches you how to tune in to your sensations so that you can feel your body and know it well. It also helps you learn when you are physically hungry or emotionally.
Bucket List
If you feel the urge to eat, pause for a minute and ask yourself "what do I really want out of my life?" Then make your list....
• I want to accomplish...
• I want to travel to...
• Something I have never done but would love to try
• I would love to own a pair of...
• I want to take a trip to...
Next pick something from your list and start planning how YOU can make it happen!
These are just some fabulous idea that I got from "50 Ways to Soothe Yourself without Food." I found the book to be insightful and absolutely fabulous. I think it will really help me focus on the goals of my personal 30 day challenge and beyond my challenge!
What do you think of these ideas? Do you have any ways that you soothe yourself without food?xo
