Practice True Self-Care this Valentine’s Day, Without Emotional Eating
Practice True Self-Care this Valentine’s Day, Without Emotional Eating
Tell us if this sounds familiar: It’s Valentine’s Day, and you’re feeling less than appreciated. You see discounted candy or a tub of your favorite ice cream at the store and you think, “I deserve this.”
Later, after you’ve finished off the whole thing, that familiar feeling of shame creeps in.
We’d like to gently remind our readers that, while it’s perfectly fine to indulge every now and again, bingeing on wine and chocolates is not the same as true self-care.
It doesn’t have to be this way. This year, you can make a choice to truly love yourself.
What Self-Care is NOT
We’ve all seen the commercials and the online memes praising self-care as a way for women to break away from everyday stressors and take time for themselves. Usually, this is manifested as a bubble bath or a third glass of wine. However, true self-care is not limited to these shallow delights. Self-care actually refers to the practice of taking action to improve one’s own health.
We’d like to focus on two important phrases in that definition: taking action and improving one’s health.
It’s easy to zone out on the couch with a warm blanket and a favorite snack and call it self-care, but that isn’t exactly “taking action” is it? In fact, that combination of television and snacks can actually be harmful to your body. There are plenty of indulgences that are definitely not good for you. Junk food and alcohol binges ultimately make you feel worse about yourself, and they don’t do a thing for your digestive system, your mood, or your weight.
True Self-Care Heals Your Body and Soul
We believe that self-care is a vital step in the healing process, but we also believe that it’s more about knowing your body’s limits and honoring your body than taking momentary pleasure in a sugary treat.
True self care isn’t about narcissism, and it’s not about giving in to a food addiction, either. Self care boosts your self-esteem. It’s a reminder to yourself and to others that your needs are important.
We urge you to ask yourself these questions before you indulge:
- Is this going to make you feel better – or worse – in the long run?
- Are you taking time to pay yourself some nurturing attention? Or are you mindlessly using food to get a temporary sugar high?
If you’re truly paying attention to you, you’re listening to your body, accepting when it’s full, and noticing when physical symptoms indicate that something is wrong.
Give yourself the resources to help your body heal, and you’ll feel better all the time … not just when you’re eating that chocolate or zoning out on your couch.
The Truth About Emotional Eating
The concept of emotional eating has become a common one in popular culture as well, but unfortunately, it’s a very real habit that can harm people over the long run.
The fact is that the strongest cravings strike when you’re feeling at your lowest. Many of us have turned to food for comfort and validation since we were young children. Whether we’re conscious of it or not, we eat as a way to soothe ourselves or as a way to tamp down negative emotions like anger, loneliness, or fear.
In a moment of weakness, you may turn to impulsive or binge eating, reaching for a treat and gobbling it down without thought or even pleasure. The calming effect you may feel is only temporary. Soon, you’re back in that shame cycle. You beat yourself up for overeating and before you know it, you’re back in the binge again.
If you make a lifetime habit of this, you can tank your weight-loss efforts and increase your likelihood of obesity-related diseases.
At Cooking Healthy Academy, We Encourage You to Genuinely Love Yourself this Valentine’s Day
Have you ever watched Drag Race? Moderator RuPaul has one of the best quotes we’ve ever heard about true self-love:
“When you become the image of your own imagination, it’s the most powerful thing you could ever do.”
Imagine the you that’s deep inside. That you doesn’t need a significant other to feel strong. That you doesn’t need an entire tub of ice cream, either.
When you try a little self-reflection, forgiveness, and – yes – self-care, you’ll be amazed at how content you can feel. You’ll recognize that you are a valuable human being who deserves to feel good – who deserves to have a healthy life – and you’ll find a love for yourself that will never leave you.
This Valentine’s Day, we encourage you to speak kindly to yourself, be a friend to yourself, and do good things for your health. When you feel like eating your feelings, try repeating this affirmation to yourself instead:
Are You Ready to Feel Better, All the Time?
Would you like to learn how the act of cooking can help you discover a new, healing method of self-care? We can help you overcome emotional eating. Start the journey today.
