Emotional Eating Spurred by feelings of Deprivation

Comfort eating is triggered by feeling deprived.

My husband, Angel just walked into my office with a ‘daddy sandwich’ on a plate. He paused to give me a kiss and to offer me a bite of his sandwich before he headed into his office to start the day.

A Daddy sandwich is the term that my kids and I created that describes a sandwich that Angel made. Here at home we loooovvvvve Daddy Sandwiches.

It’s really just a nice regular old sandwich made with real bread, different combinations of cold cuts like ham, turkey, cheese, sometimes salami all spread with mayonnaise.

As a former dieter perpetually watching my weight, my idea of a sandwich was a couple of thin, tasteless lite-as air slices of bread that reminded me of chewing on a pillow. Between the wispy bits of bread, there was a slice or two of the lowest fat meat, cheese or meat substitute that I could find. I’d also add tomatoes and lettuce which inevitably would soak right through the lite bread of my sandwiches making a soggy mess of my meal.

To my way of thinking, I would never have spent calories or points on a real honest to goodness sandwich. It was just too big a calorie expenditure for me. The kinds of sandwiches that I was raised on by my Nana would easily have exceeded at least a half day’s food quota on any diet.

So I lusted after sandwiches for many years, wanting them and yet never giving in and actually eating them while I was dieting because I didn’t feel that they were worth the cost and consequently because I wanted them so very much, I ate them with a voraciousness and mindless hunger that led me to swallow them in the blink of an eye and wonder if I really did eat a sandwich and why on earth was I still so hungry.

Now I can eat sandwiches all the time and suddenly I find that a bite or two satisfies my desire. I no longer need to eat the way that I used to because I derive my satisfaction from knowing that I have choices.

So it was lovely to realize that when Angel walked in and offered me a bite of his sandwich, I took a mouse sized bite, gave him a big hug and a kiss and thanked him for sharing. I didn't want anymore food. I realized what I really wanted was to take a nap.

I’m off to catch 40 winks and whenever my body tells me that I’m really hungry, then I’ll get myself something to eat. Who knows maybe I'll make a daddy sandwich. 

How about you? Have you realized that you have more control over food than you thought you did? If you’re a woman struggling with emotional eating and find that food is cluttering up all the spaces in your life, then come join my Juicy Woman Yahoo group and get a taste of some real honest to goodness sister support that works to help you to overcome food obsession as you slowly and naturally take steps to lose weight without dieting.

Comments

[Helen]

Hi Andrea:

I can identify with your post. I remember being on a diet and eating a package of rice cakes because they did not have many calories. They tasted like saw dust.

Last night I had dinner with a friend who was on a diet and had a bowl of soup for dinner. My egg white omelet with vegetables had less calories than her soup. I was satisfied and she was still hungry. It is amazing how we think when we are on a diet.

Take a look at my blog (www.theloveyourselfcoach.blogspot) and see the tools you can use when going to a party. Helen