I don’t know about you but I am putting weight on during this time of self-isolation. It’s time to stop! and I have just the tool to help you with it. 

Perhaps you have heard of Emotional Freedom Techniques?

What are these cravings that pop up when you least expect them and what to do about them?

Side effects of social isolating include boredom, stress, anxiety, loneliness and confusion. Any one of these emotions (and a raft of other ones) make our lizard brain feel insecure and afraid. Our cave dwelling ancestors felt afraid and insecure when they had no food. Literally, those emotions trigger a response in the gut that says we must be starving and high fat, starchy foods become very desirable. 

Remember when you were a kid and you loved grandma’s cookies or pies or cakes or whatever she cooked for you that reminded you of how much you love her? Made you feel loved by her? Maybe it wasn’t grandma. Maybe it was dad who took you out for ice cream on your birthday or maybe it was mom who made desert for every meal. Many people use food to show love or seek relief from not feeling loved. It is reasonable to say that food equals love when we have been programmed to feel that way in the first 7 years.

When we are busy, working, practicing self-discipline, exercising, and taking care of ourselves those emotions are mixed up with endorphins that help us to relax, calm down and keep the fear in check.

Fast forward to isolation and, unless we are very disciplined (I know that’s not me) we give in to our cravings often and with gusto. We are also less likely to really get out and get moving.

So, what to do about it? Cravings are not constant. They may feel constant but there are times when we are just fine, engaged in an activity, reading a good book, watching an uplifting documentary or talking to someone we care about. The cravings present themselves when we are bored, afraid, anxious or worried about something.

As in most things I write about the most important first step is noticing. If we aren’t paying attention to our feelings we simply can’t do anything about them. It is paramount to make an effort to pay attention to how you feel. For many of us this goes against years of domestication by our parents who likely taught us to avoid our feelings. Some people are so good at this that they are unaware that they even have feelings beyond anger and stress. Noticing how you feel just before you begin bingeing offers an opportunity to “TAP” for relief. Do it! Don’t wait another minute, don’t pass go, take action now!

Here’s an example of food = love:
Let’s say that grandma was the only person you felt safe with as a child. Let’s say that every time you visited grandma she baked biscuits and served them with strawberry jam and lots of butter. Let’s say you were even allowed to help her make them. Biscuits and jam may become a surrogate for grandma’s love. She may have passed away but her biscuits still make you feel safe and happy. You are likely not aware of any of this but if you explore your cravings for certain foods you will discover they are rooted in love, acceptance and security.

Here’s an example of food = fear:
Let’s say you had a big family with many siblings and a limited budget for food. When the family was called for dinner everyone raced to the table go get their portions. You had to be quick or the food would be gone. There were no leftovers and no other meals until the next day. If you were late or intimidated by others you simply didn’t get enough to eat. This creates a feeling of insecurity and triggers in us the feeling that we may starve to death. It may not be true but our reptilian brain doesn’t know better. 

What is your go-to food? What do you crave? Think about the origin of the craving.

What foods do you crave the most? In my experience, helping people with cravings, certain types of food cravings come from either love or insecurity. Sweets and carb cravings typically (not always) come from love programming. Heavy, fatty foods like french fries, poutine and meet tend to come from feeling insecure.

When you feel a craving identify what type of food you want. Take some of it into your space and look at it (do not eat it yet). Think about your history with that food and who you may have shared it with. Remember events where that food was important to you and who you shared it with. Ask yourself about the benefits you will receive by eating the food. Smell it, imagine it in your mouth and what it would be like to chew it and taste it. What comes up for you? Who do you think about when you imagine eating it. How badly, on a scale of 0-10 do you want to eat that food right now? 0 = not at all. 10 = can’t wait to eat it.

 Now, simply “TAP” on all the points while saying “I am safe now”, “I am loved now” and see how you feel at the end of it. Put a number from 0-10 on the feeling after you have tapped. If the feeling hasn’t changed much then dig deeper into your past relationship with that food and the people who shared it with you and tap again until you no longer want it at all. You may eat the food now if you wish but it is likely you will pass.

Better yet, join us for group tonight. We will be working on cravings. If you have a food that is particularly attractive to you bring it to group and we will tap on your cravings. Do not eat any of the food before you tap on it. See you tonight.

Love n Light,
al