I found myself turning to food to comfort me in my time of anxiety and worry. But I knew that wasn’t the answer.
Have you ever been there? I’ve been finding myself there a few times lately, but I’m so glad I’m starting to become more aware of it so I can recognize it and divert to a different (non-food) method of dealing with it.
And I must admit. I’m not always 100% successful. But I’m getting there. And awareness and naming the emotions underlying those feelings is key.
Here’s a few tips next time you find yourself in the “comfort food” struggle, when you know you’re not actually hungry, it’s something deeper.
- Identify the triggering situation or circumstance at the root of the cause.
- Name the exact feelings underlying that desire to eat, when you know you’re not hungry, or you know food is not the solution.
- Journal your heart out. In times of great internal debate and unrest, one of the best things you can do is journal and pray. But journaling can be a form of prayer if you choose to write out what you’re feeling in a letter to God.
- List alternative non-food ways you can deal with the situation and why you’re having those feelings in the first place. (hint: exercise is a GREAT option.)
- Spend time in prayer giving those burdens, concerns, worries, uneasiness and anxieties (and anything else you need to) over to God. Share with him why you’re concerned and have been holding onto these feelings, and give them to God and ask for his help to solve the problem and/or to fill you wiht his peace that passes all understanding so you may liberate your mind from the things that are weighing you down.
- And lastly, write an action plan for how you will deal with the same scenario if/when it happens again and what non-food actions you will take to begin creating new default responses that don’t add to your waistline and guilt, disappointment or shame, and instead are healthier ways to deal with the stresses in life.
>>Final Thought: We know that food is not the answer when we’re eating to fill a different void that we don’t want to acknowledge. But the freedom from this detrimental pattern is in the acknowledgement. Next time you’re tempted to soothe your soul with sweets or salty treats when you KNOW you’re not hungry, work your way through these 6 steps and ultimately turn your situation over to God. He is waiting for you to lay it at his feet and give you relief.
Your sister in Christ,
~Dr. Melody
P.S. I’ve found it supremely therapeutic and helpful when I’m working on my own health and weight goals to surround myself with other girlfriends doing the same, who can relate and not place blame or shame when they hear of my not-so-perfect choices sometimes. Being able to be candid, supportive, honest and vulnerable is so healing and therapeutic to keep the momentum and drive toward your goals alive.
Starting Aug. 1st is the next 30 day interval of my #vip30 challenge in my private VIP ladies group. Together we’re changing our lives, habits and dress sizes one day at a time. If you know you need to be with a supportive and driven environment to spur you on to your own weight loss goals, this is just the place to be. Learn more here and join us before Aug. 1st!
What a night. There are so many broken hearts. How do we handle this pain?
I almost never watch the news, and I barely hear about things everyone else has been talking about until way after fact, if at all. But in wake of yesterday’s events in Dallas, it was all over social media and I finally caught up on what had been transpiring over the past weeks in Minneapolis and Baton Rouge.
How do we process this information of hate and retaliation? How do we see a just God in the midst of this crisis?
In times of great strife, heartache and injustice (that unfortunately transpire every day, all over the world) it’s hard to see God at work, or even present at all. But we know He’s there.
The Bible tells us God is omnipresent–present at all places, at all times–so the questions arise of why doesn’t he prevent tragedies, and why does he let certain things happen?
We may never get the answers this side of Heaven, but we can lean God’s promises that He will avenge the unjust, He will have the ultimate ruling when we get to Heaven. He collects each of our tears and hears our cries when words cannot express our grief or our pain.
He loves us beyond measure and His ways are not our ways. We cannot always see His plan or how He’s moving, but we can ask for His peace that passes all understanding and act in faith that He is who He says He is.
>>Final Thought: Let us not respond with hatred, disdain, fear or retaliation–not with our actions and not in our hearts. Let us cling to the message of love, grace, mercy and forgiveness that we’re called to, and let us release the judgement to God.
Your sister in Christ,
~Dr. Melody
P.S. Are you tired of being flooded with negative images, news stories and ill-informed judgments from others on your Facebook feed? Escape the negativity and come to an environment of love, support and grace. Join me in my private FB community, Worthy To Be Me. Let us be a beacon of love and hope during times of strife in a seemingly dark world.
We can always use a little more HOPE–for our spiritual health and our physical health. Hope always applies.
Now typically on Wednesday’s I do a weekly mid-week tips email highlighting one tip for Fitness, Faith and Food. But this week, I felt sending you a direct message about HOPE was more important.
Hope is an essential part our lives and our psyche that is critical to our basic function.
It is the lack of hope that causes the trauma, abuse, neglect, fear and depression we see in our world today. This simple four-letter word of ‘hope’ can reverse and prevent catastrophic events in our lives and in those around us.
As Christians, we put our hope in an all-knowing, ever-loving, abundant and caring God. Creator of the Universe who knows and loves you before you were even born.
“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.” Hebrews 6:19
And when we struggle with our weight, our self-image, our commitments, our resolve, our perseverance…it is HOPE that we cling to pull us through. The hope of a new outcome, a new reality, a brighter future, and different path, a new beginning, a beautiful ending…none of it would exist if it weren’t for hope.
>> Final thought: When life gets you down, or you’re disappointed in yourself, or you can’t see a way out…put your hope in Christ Jesus, who has already won the ultimate battle.You can be sure He will not fail you. It is impossible for him to do so. God has your victory already in hand. Trust that He will see it through. Keep the faith.
Place your hope in God’s mighty and capable hands.
“And so, Lord, where do I put my hope?
My only hope is in you.” Psalm 39:7
Your sister in Christ,
~Dr. Melody
P.S. I encourage you today that if you’ve lost hope that you can never achieve a weight loss goal because you’ve tried and failed so many times before, or if you’ve felt like the road to better health is hard and too difficult to navigate–take heart! There is still hope that it can be done. I see it every day. I work with women who achieve it every.single.day.
And you can be a part of it.
Tomorrow is the final day to join me–and other motivated Christian ladies–before we launch into July 1st armed with the tools, resources, accountability and support to achieve new heights in our health, our weight and our vitality.
You will not want to miss out.
Accountability has been the #1 reason my community succeeds, and there are so many perks to joining us I can’t list them all here! Take a look for yourself and learn more here.
Hope lives on to give us a bright and beautiful future!
