SOME WAYS TO SOOTHE YOURSELF WITHOUT FOOD-NOTES FROM A GREAT BOOK I READ!

•  Notes from book: 50 ways to soothe yourself without food by Susan Albers, Psy. D. author of Eating Mindfully (great book I bought)
• Create mindful moments and be present as things are happening so you don't mindlessly consume food to comfort myself. If you just eat mindlessly you may consume a large amount of food without realizing it and really screw up your calorie intake for the day. An example is watching a movie at the theater and eating lots of snacks like your mouth is on automatic and your mind is not focused on what you are eating and how much. I have done this many times before and try to have a plan on a healthy snack or just drink water during a movie. Tuning out with your mind can make you vulnerable to stress eating. Being mindful and not doing things on automatic are good applying to everyday life. Just like brushing your teeth, washing dishes, and riding a bike you can practice mindfulness. Notice and appreciate more the things around you, like when you go for a walk, instead of being all in your head about life, problems, your day, etc. take all of it in-your surroundings, the smell of the air, the sun, or the moon, etc..
• Practice meditating. Meditating can make you come to a mental peace with food. Many times a type of food like sweets goes round and round my head and I can't seem to eliminate it. Well, meditating can help center you and change your focus. It helps clear the mind and may show you the root cause of why you are obsessing over a certain food or food in general. When your mind is racing and all over the place it can be hard to find the ability to see what is really going on and see what is causing all of your stress. Getting out of the fight or flight mode most of us live in with all of life's issues will be a better thing for us. You have to be able to go into that peaceful place. For me I pray, contemplative types of prayers or meditate on something I read and just rest, knowing my God loves me and cares about all my worries and He is going to help me through, some way, some how. Sometimes it is just closing my eyes for a moment wherever I may be and just rest for a short moment, getting myself back together mentally and knowing I cannot change others, only myself and to accept the present situation for what it is and to not get myself too worked up about it. 
• Psychological benefits of meditation: Reduces stress and anxiety, increases self-esteem, decreases irritability and moodiness, increases calmness, increases ability to concentrate and focus. 
• Physical benefits of meditation: Creates a relaxation response in the body, slowing the heart and respiratory rates. Increases serotonin levels, which is helpful because low levels of serotonin are linked with depression, anxiety, obesity and headaches. Decreases production of stress hormones. Improves sleep. Increases energy levels. Increases immunity to illness. These all are a perfect remedy for the emotional eater. 
• Breathe your way to inner calm. Sometimes just stopping what your doing, even your eating and taking a deep breath in and breathing it out will help you stop from overeating or eating something you shouldn't. You can call it a time out if you want. I can relate that using food to help bury my worries or stresses does nothing to take them away, just adds the pounds on my waistline and make me feel even worse about myself. Mindful breathing is a great thing to learn too. I have done this and became more aware of my body and more sensitive to not abuse it. Our breathing changes when we mindfully think about it and become aware of it. Practicing this is helpful because it momentarily takes your mind off the thought of that particular food you are focused on. If your body thinks it is going to be fed, your body will start to produce saliva. If it starts to think it is going to rest, then the body starts to relax and your body starts to slow down. Use this to your advantage. Mindful breathing helps put more oxygen in your body and then will help your mind think more clearly and hopefully make some better choices. Women use breathing exercises for childbirth, why not use them to your advantage to help you with whatever emotional turmoil you are going through. I have heard people tell me when I got stressed, "just breathe". Can it really be that simple? Yes it can. So breathe!
• to be continued.............................................