Cope with your Emotions with Kindness

July Monthly Newsletter

Learn to nurture yourself in new ways

Morsel of the Month
Last month, we learned to Feel Our Fullness, the physical sensations our body experiences around eating. This month, we are feeling our feelings and coping with our emotions in a kind, gentle way.

All people, at one time or another, have used food to cope with emotions. They may be happy “I-got-a-new-job” emotions or sad “I’m-feeling-really-lonely” emotions. Even though all of us have used food in these, or similar circumstances, we have the tendency to beat ourselves up or feel guilty about using food to cope. Instead, it can be helpful to approach ourselves with a sense of curiosity and self-compassion to acknowledge our underlying emotions.

Sometimes, we do not realize we are eating in response to emotions. If you find yourself consistently eating after the point of physical fullness, you may ask yourself what need you are trying to fulfill with food. Some possible reasons are boredom, procrastination, bribery, reward, excitement, soothing, love, frustration, anger, rage, stress, anxiety, mild depression, connection, or feeling the urge to “loosen the reins” in an area of your life.

Once you are able to recognize what feelings are fueling your eating, you can start to deal with these feelings in a more nurturing way. This may mean getting some rest or asking for help. It may take the form of a walk, a bath, a phone call or a hug. It is also important to acknowledge and feel your emotions. For some people, their emotions may feel more uncomfortable if they are not able to distract or numb themselves with food. However, by learning to cope with your emotions without using food, your relationship toward food and eating can become more positive overall and you may find you are able to eat in a way that is satisfying, both physically and emotionally.

If you’d like to learn more about Intuitive Eating, schedule an appointment with one of our dietitians.

Want to know more? Check out our free nutrition tip sheets on our website.

Virtual Cooking Demos
Join Judy most Thursdays at 12 pm EST for Cooking Fast and Eating Light with Five Ingredients or Less. No registration necessary. Watch live or recorded demos on the Athens Nutrition Facebook page.

Our next Facebook Live demo will be on Thursday, 7/8/21, at 12 pm EST.

Athens Announcements
Introducing our NEW Signature Programs

Weight Loss without Diets: Are you ready to get off the diet roller coaster? Our signature Weight Loss Without Diets approach is for adults who are frustrated after years of losing and regaining weight. Meet one-on-one with your nutritionist and receive personalized attention so you can reach your healthy weight without dieting! Schedule your initial appointment today.

Building a Healthier Relationship with Food (for teens and young adults): Do you feel pressure to look a certain way by social media, your coach, your family or your friends? Do you want to break free from diet “promises” and “secrets” that turn out to be harmful to your physical and mental health? If you find yourself obsessing over what to eat, searching social media for the latest weight loss program and feeling bad about not measuring up to beauty standards, we can help you navigate the diet culture. You will meet one-on-one with your nutritionist so you can eat with the freedom to nourish your body while building a healthier relationship with food. Schedule your initial appointment today.

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Athens Nutrition
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Ardmore, PA 19003-1321

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