Understanding why you overeat when emotions overtake. What are the reasons and mechanisms behind emotional eating.
Exploring Your "Why" – The Motivation to Stop Emotional Eating
Welcome to this pivotal lesson where we focus on the driving force behind your decision to curb emotional eating: your "Why." Understanding why you want to make this change is essential for long-term success. It's the cornerstone that will keep you anchored, particularly in challenging moments when you might be tempted to revert to old behaviours. This lesson comes with a worksheet to guide you through the process. Keep this worksheet handy and review it daily to remind yourself of your motivations.
Objectives:
- Identify the underlying motivations for wanting to stop emotional eating.
- Create a personalised "Why" statement that you can refer to daily.
Instructions:
1. **Reflect:** Take a moment to consider why you are here. Why do you want to stop emotional eating? It might be for health reasons, to improve your emotional well-being, or to set a positive example for loved ones. The reasons can vary, but understanding your personal "Why" will give you the resolve to continue when the going gets tough.
2. **Download the Worksheet:** Download the accompanying worksheet that provides a structured format for you to explore and jot down your reasons.
3. **Fill in the Worksheet:** Take some time to think deeply and fill in each section of the worksheet. The sections will prompt you to consider different aspects of your life and how they relate to your motivations.
4. **Create Your "Why" Statement:** Summarize your motivations into one or two compelling sentences. This will serve as your personal "Why" statement.
5. **Review Daily:** Keep this statement and the filled-in worksheet somewhere easily accessible. Make it a daily habit to review these documents to reinforce your commitment and refocus your energy.
Activities:
- Filling in the worksheet: Dedicate at least 30 minutes to filling in the worksheet without any distractions.
- Crafting your "Why" statement: Once you've filled in the worksheet, use the insights you've gained to craft your "Why" statement.
- Daily Review: Set a reminder for a specific time each day to review your worksheet and "Why" statement.
Conclusion:
Understanding your "Why" is a critical step in your journey to overcome emotional eating. This lesson and the accompanying worksheet are designed to make your motivations concrete, personal, and accessible for daily review. It serves as your daily reminder, fueling your commitment and providing you with the resilience to press on.
Now that you've completed this lesson, you're equipped with one more essential tool in your toolkit to stop emotional eating. As you proceed to other modules, this understanding of your "Why" will amplify the effectiveness of other strategies you'll learn.