Emotional eating always has a trail

It starts with a feeling that you don’t really want to feel, that gets masked with another feeling, that might have another feeling or behavior on top, this can go on for a while, until it’s hard to remember where you started and why you are eating the chips or ice cream or whatever it is that you are craving.

Here is my recent trail and how I ended up creating my Banana Cacao Confection.

• I broke my baby toe, so…
• I wasn’t able to move around very well so…
• My energy level began to dip so…
• I got cranky so…
• I felt disconnected from myself and the people around me so…
• I wanted to be comforted and…
• I was annoyed with myself for breaking my toe and…
• I wanted to have my energy back so…

I made this delicious banana Cacao Confection.

Now I know that in the best case situation, I would just acknowledge my feelings, feel them, maybe write about them, integrate them and let them move on through. But, sometimes I still reach for food that I think will make me feel better. I know the food doesn’t “handle” my feelings for me, but if I choose the food with consciousness and stay aware of my feelings in the process I do end up feeling nourished by both my purposeful response to my inner experience and the delicious food I have made for myself.

Here it is:

Banana Cacao Candy:

• 1 ripe organic banana sliced in half, (down it’s length) For the sweet & smooth comfort feeling
• 1 tablespoon organic raw almond butter (More smooth and rich texture for comfort as well as an energy booster)
• 2 teaspoons a raw cacao nibs (for a kick of energy and for a satisfying crunch, which is nice when I am feeling annoyed).
• 1-2 organic raw walnuts (more crunch for my cranky feelings.)

Spread the banana with the almond butter, sprinkle the cacao nibs and walnuts.

Mmmm, it hit the spot on an emotional and physical level.

My daughter and her friend tried it, they loved it. We enjoyed the moment together. I started to feel more connected to myself and the people around me. My emotional eating didn’t take me further from my feelings or myself, it actually took me right back to myself because I stayed aware of my feelings and what I was really hungry for along the way. It wasn’t always that way for me. I used to bury my feelings with food and then of course choose foods that made me feel bad about myself. It was almost easier to feel bad about myself and my body than whatever the original feeling was.

Now my relationship with food, body and emotions is not a struggle. I’m not hiding in the cookies. If I choose the cookies or confections I choose them with awareness and I choose the ones that will make me feel most alive.

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Nina Manolson, MA, CHC, LMT is the Smokin’ Hot Mom Mentor and Family Wellness Expert. She’s the founder of SmokinHotMom.com and HealthyYummyKids.com. She helps busy moms look and feel their best, and helps them feed their kids well in a world that doesn’t. To get your F.R.E.E. Audio CD by mail and receive her healthy recipes and wellness tips click here.

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Nina Manolson, MA, is the founder of Body-Peace®.She helps women end the war with food and body and finally feel truly at home in their body—as it is.

She is known for her deeply feminist, anti-diet, body-peace® approach. She brings her 30 years of experience as a therapist, Body-Trust® Guide and Psychology of Eating Teacher to helping women create a respectful and trusting relationship with their food and body.

Nina’s Body-Peace® work is all in service of helping people get off the diet roller-coaster, and into a compassionate and powerful way of eating & living which creates a positive long-lasting change in and with their bodies. Her courses, coaching, poems and Body-Peace APP positively change the conversation that women are having with their body.

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