Putting the "occasion" back in occasional

I have a serious sweet tooth. At this moment, there is ice cream, chocolate, cookies, and Mini Eggs (which are so tempting that they are their own category) lurking in my cupboards. Generally this isn’t a problem for me. I have willpower and can resist temptation. But lately I’ve been an emotional eating machine. I shovel junk food into my mouth so fast that I don’t even know what I’m eating. I certain don’t enjoy or even taste the sweet treats crossing my lips. What’s the point of Mini Eggs if you don’t taste them?

It doesn’t happen every day, but I’ve certainly noticed that lately the “occasion” has left my occasional treats. Instead of savouring a delicious “worth-it” treat at a special event, I’m consuming mass quantities of quasi-yummy treats on my couch, alone, when no one will see.

Obviously this type of eating has nothing to do with physical hunger. Clearly I’m using food as medication. Instead of dealing with what’s bothering me, I try to placate myself with sugar. The result? I feel guilty for overeating and I still haven’t dealt with the real problem.

The next time I’m on the verge of a binge, I’ll ask myself “am I physically hungry?” If the answer is no, I’ll follow up with “then why am I reaching for the mint chocolate chip ice cream?” The first question will be an easy answer. The second will hopefully force me to delve into what’s causing these out of character cravings.

SOTS wonders… how do you handle emotional eating?
Bella