13 Jun Susan’s Sound Advice #211
I think a big reason why people have issues with overeating is because from early childhood, food has been used as either a reward (if you do your homework, we will go out for ice cream), or a punishment (no dessert because you didn’t behave at dinner). We were trained that food has some kind of magical power instead of nutrition to sustain us. Think about the commercials on television: “Indulge”, “Reward Yourself”, “You Deserve a Break Today”…these are all messages about rewarding yourself with high calorie, unhealthy “gifts”. We “pacify” ourselves in adulthood with the same things our parents rewarded us in childhood: Food. Food should only be used and consumed to sustain our energy and health. Nothing more. By rewarding yourself with high calorie treats, you are only making yourself feel worse in the long run. Try other rewards: Get a massage, take the money you would spend on expensive ice cream snacks and put it in a vacation fund every time you choose a healthy alternative. There are many ways to feel good. Yes, indulging from time to time is necessary, but catch yourself if you find that you are using food as constant reward.
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