Is Food Your Love Substitute?

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The other day while riding the bike at the gym, I was watching a talk show on weight loss. One woman had gained a tremendous amount of weight over the years. In fact, she said that even as an infant and young child she was overweight. She always felt that her father never loved her because she was fat. As she shared her story, her deep emotions spilled out that her father had treated her differently from the other children. Inside she felt unloved and ugly, desperately wanting her father’s attention and love.

My ears perked up even more when she talked about how food replaced the love she wasn’t receiving and how she began to turn to food for comfort and to feel better. The deep-stuffed emotions had led to extreme weight gain over time that she is now dealing with.

As the holidays approach, I hear a great deal more about food, families, and relationships. Many people gain several pounds over the next three month ‘eating frenzy’ that goes from now through the Super Bowl. Yes, some weight gain comes from eating food you normally pass up but other pounds can come from trying to cope with the flood of emotions.

Do you see yourself here? Do the holidays elicit strong emotions (which can be both happy and sad ones) that lead you to eat for comfort? It’s very common. After all, food is legal, ubiquitous and not looked down upon.

If food starts calling your name louder than ever this holiday season, ask yourself why. Are you enjoying the temptations of the season or eating to mask some emotion? If the later is the case, begin to make alternative plans now that will help you to focus on positive events. Decide to volunteer where you know help is needed. Plan events with friends or family where the mood is supportive and upbeat so you have less time to bathe in negative feelings. By supporting others that need help and turning the negative into a positive, there will be fewer occasions to use food as your love substitute.