by LINDSEY FISHER, LF HEALTH AND WELLNESS

Let’s be honest. 98% of the resolutions every January revolve around getting to the gym, cutting back on alcohol consumption, and making better food choices. Especially after the extensive holiday season that starts for some of us at Halloween and continues through the New Year. The problem comes when we set those New Year’s resolutions as a quick fix way to get “back on track,” when in reality we have never really been on track to begin with. With fast food places open all hours, social gatherings and convenience foods at our fingertips we go through life never really addressing that there may be an underlying issue as to why we make these poor food choices time and again and continue to put our health last.

Think about this. There might just be these powerful little entities called emotions that drive many of our choices. I can tell you, the emotional grasp in relation to food choice is real and stronger than you might think.

Maybe you can relate to a few of these experiences!

• Food choices consuming your daily thoughts.
  • Days, months, and years of roller coaster dieting. You go on a
  diet for weight loss, only to fall off of it and gain the weight
  back, plus some!
  • Emotional eating – you feel sad, happy, angry, depressed,
  excited, stressed and for some reason your brain says “food
  will solve it!”
  • Intense fear of weight gain.
  • Negative self talk or “beating yourself up” after enjoying a
  Friday night with friends.
  • Thinking that nutrient restriction and constant caloric deficit
  will solve the problem.
  • Scale infatuation – if that scale moves a pound in the wrong
  direction, more self sabotage and negative self talk.
  • Inability to control cravings – when they hit, they hit hard and
  all self control is out the window.
  • Allowing food to control social settings – making the
  gathering all about the food.
  • The flip side of that coin – remaining socially distant in an
  attempt to control eating.
  • Hiding food or eating in secret.

These are all very real struggles. I see them in 90% of my clients. I have experienced several myself. Most nutrition struggles have an emotional attachment and if you are open to confronting them, the resolutions can dissipate and healthy living can begin.

But here is the reality, friends…
The food is not the real issue. Food is the vehicle. Food is what we use to get to a place that we think we want to be. Food is what we use to control our situation when we feel out of control.
I can share this with you now because not only do I spend quite a bit of time helping my clients overcome these exact battles, but again, I have been there myself. I have struggled. And the struggle is real. Emotional eating is hard, overwhelming, draining and time-consuming. But, it is also variable and there is a light at the end of the tunnel if you are willing to find it!
If you can relate to any of this, let’s talk. Get in touch with me to schedule a 30 minute consultation. It’s time to spend your precious life and energy on enjoying the journey and not in a cyclical attempt to set and stick with resolutions.

For more health and wellness tips, follow Lindsey Fisher Health & Wellness on Facebook and Instagram @LindseyFisherNC, or visit online at www.LindseyFisherNC.com