Food Isn't The Answer To Weight Loss

Mark was gaining weight and he wasn ,, t happy about it. A busy corporate attorney, Mark constantly faced the demands of long hours, heavy caseloads and trying keep everybody happy. When a group of college friends suggested he join them at a local sports bar, Mark welcomed the change from his rigorous daily grind.

With a different game being broadcast on each of the huge TV monitors, letting go of stress came easily. Fueled by a couple of drinks, Mark quickly joined in with his buddies as they yelled at the players, predicted the winners and argued the stats. As he reached into the snack plates of nachos, artichoke dip and spicy wings, he barely noticed how much he was eating.

This event gave Mark such a welcome change that he went back the next night. For the rest of the season, he was hooked "not just on the playoffs, but on an experience he hadn ,, t felt in a long time. It reminded him of his youth and those wonderful college days when he didn ,, t have the burdens of work, money and the relentless demands on his time.

But when Mark ,, s weight gain reached twenty pounds, he knew something had to change. As he thought about his sports bar dilemma, he admitted that he didn ,, t really care about the food. What he really craved was fun, the ability to relax and the sense of belonging that he felt with this group.

Food works!

It ,, s easy to understand Mark ,, s struggle. In reality, food provides a potential solution for everything! It entertains you when you ,, re bored, gives you an outlet when you ,, re mad and heals your soul if you ,, re sad or lonely. It helps you feel comforted and nurtured when life gets you down and it protects you from uncomfortable emotions such as grief and disappointment.

During times when you ,, re feeling anxious or uneasy, eating can provide stamina and boost your courage. For example, when you ,, re at a cocktail party or social gathering, you can hide your feelings behind a plate of snacks. If the uneasiness creeps back in, you can simply eat more. Food becomes the security blanket that gets you through the evening.

Food can also boost your confidence whenever you ,, re facing uncomfortable situations. Perhaps you always eat a snack before presenting a big proposal at work. Or you grab a few cookies when you have to call your ex-husband about your child ,, s school bills. As long as you have food close by, you feel strong enough to face these issues.

Food wasn ,, t the answer

Although eating may temporarily soothe an emotional need, unfortunately, the end result never matches your dream. Food becomes the consolation prize. It ,, s better than nothing, but not even close to what you really wanted "to be loved, appreciated or comforted.

So many days, you ,, d give anything for someone to hold you or to offer kind, encouraging words. You want somebody to care that you have a bad cold or that your mother has been ill again. You wish life was different "that you had more friends, more love or more fun. When you don ,, t get these things, it ,, s easy to let food take their place.

Whenever you ,, re tempted to eat as a way to appease your emotions, remind yourself that food will be the consolation prize. Then think about what you really want or need and consider how you can take care of yourself without letting food be the answer.

Mark still goes out with his friends, but he ,, s cut down on the frequency of his bar outings. Of course, basketball season ended so that made it easier. But Mark also thought about what he really wanted in his life, then he made some decisions on how to get those things without harming his weight. His list included arriving later in the evening, drinking club soda and crunching on raw vegetables instead of nachos.

Linda Spangle, RN, MA, is a weight-loss coach specializing in emotional eating, and the author of 100 Days of Weight Loss, a book of daily lessons that helps people stay committed to their diet and exercise plans. Her website is www.weightlossjoy.com.