March 17, 2008

 Emotional Eating

When I got home tonight I had an e-mail message from a friend. She shared with me that over the last several weeks she has struggled with emotional eating. I had written this article for the monthly newsletter and to be honest with you that is all I was going to do with it. After I read her message I knew that I had done the New Beginnings family a disservice by letting it end there. I needed to elaborate in a way that is not always easy in writing but could be done with much more emphasis in an audio podcast so I decided I owed the family a weekly article and a podcast. My focus had been on preaching one of the seven last words this week but to whom much is given much is also required so regardless of whatever else I have going on this week, I owe you an article and a podcast so here it is.

Have you ever found yourself eating for no reason? You weren’t hungry and it was not meal or snack time. If you are honest you just finished dinner, but there is something in you that is unsatisfied.

You can eat and eat and eat and never resolve the issue if you don’t first determine what the issue is. That cake, cookies, ice cream, pie or chips will taste good or maybe you won’t taste them at all because all you are really doing is eating to make yourself feel better. In the end do you really feel better or do you feel worse, because now in addition to what you felt initially you have the guilt that the enemy has brought against you because of what you just did and how it is going to look on you if you keep doing it.

I was studying a course on emotional eating and the instructor said, you will never be satisfied by eating you will never eat enough, to make the pain go away, you have to find the root of the problem. Why are you eating? Having a bad day is no excuse for eating yourself into a stupor. The next time you find yourself sitting and eating when you know that you are not hungry, we want to encourage you to take a minute to assess your feelings. Take the time to assess your situation.

Take the time to try to figure out what is really going on. Why are you eating? Address your feelings, get a journal and begin to write about them. Write about what was going on when you found yourself eating. Were you eating because of a financial situation? Were you worried about something? Did someone say or do something that hurt your feelings? Is it something that you know you are not supposed to be involved in, in the first place because God has already warned you, but you keep trying to hold on to it anyway, a relationship, a car you can’t afford, a job God already told you to get out of.

What is it? Start addressing the real issue, but the only way to do that is to identify what the real issue is.

Do you feel pain, are you upset about something, did someone hurt you or say something that was offensive? Are you dealing with some feelings that you are stuffing down or are there some things you need to deal with that you have chosen to avoid? Whatever the situation, know that it will not go away and the food will not make it better contrary to whatever you may have been taught. You will have to deal with the issue. Be aware of the little voice that tells you that the food will make you feel better, because food is like drugs or alcohol, whatever pain it alleviates is only temporary.

When the food or drug wears off the pain and the issue will still be there. I don’t know about all cultures but I know that there are some cultures that believe you can fix anything with food. When things are good you eat as a reward. When things are bad you eat because it will make everything better. The only thing that will make everything better is a loving and growing relationship with a God that knows all and is bigger that every situation and problem that we might be experiencing. Trust Him to walk you through it.

This month deal with the issue. Pray about it. Talk it out, not with everyone, but with the person that you should be talking to. If it is an issue with your husband or wife talk to them. If it is an issue with your co-worker or family member talk to them or to a good Christian counselor. Don’t be fooled into thinking that you can keep covering it up with food, because whatever is hidden will be exposed. Closet eating will be exposed in weight and bigger sizes. Closet emotions will be exposed in insecurity and eventually when you can no longer control it there will be an emotional outburst or melt down. Deal with the emotions. Deal with the relationships. Deal with the pain. Deal with your issues before they deal with you.

Weekly Scripture:

Matthew 11:28-30:
28 Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

We just worked out spiritually. If you have not worked out your physical temple get up and join us in the:

New Beginnings 2008 Workout Focus
10,000/steps per day or 70,000/steps per week Walking Program*

This is the fitness opportunity that New Beginnings is promoting for 2008. It is simple and easy and almost everyone can participate at whatever level of fitness they are at. All you need is a good pair of walking shoes, comfortable clothing, a pedometer, and you're all set.

For further discussion contact contactus@mynewtemple.org or write to us on the message board http://mynewtemple.org/aMessages.html or the Fitness Blog http://mynewtemple.org/wordpress/.