Where’s a bag of chips? I need to crunch on something!
In my work, I’ve learned you can separate emotional eating into two distinct types— head hunger and heart hunger.
We’ll look at head hunger today, then address heart hunger later.
Head hunger usually starts with a specific food thought or craving; you know exactly what you want.
A food desire just pops into your mind, making you start searching for chips, popcorn, or even a specific brand of candy bar.
With head hunger, you typically look for foods that are chewy or crunchy, such as potato chips, nuts, and candy. Head hunger tends to be connected to pressure-type emotions such as anger, frustration, or resentment.
Whenever you crave a chewy or crunchy food, take a quick inventory of what might be affecting you. Then ask yourself, “What do I really want to chew on?”
Then try to identify anything that’s irritating you, bothering you, or stressing you out right at that moment.
Once you’ve identified the source of your head hunger, ask yourself, “Will eating change this issue?”
Since it probably won’t, plan to look for something else to take care of your emotional needs.
Today’s assignment (my answers are in blue)
1. Make a list of your favorite chewy or crunchy foods, especially ones that you might reach for when you aren’t physically hungry.
Almonds, Big chocolate-chip cookies from Great Harvest bakery, caramel nut candy bars
2. Think of at least three places or situations where you’re tempted to reach for head-hunger foods.
When nothing’s going right.
When I’m feeling isolated or lonely.
When I’m trying to avoid things such as working on a writing project.
3. Ask yourself what you really want to “chew on” in those situations. Record your insights.
Sometimes I want to “chew on” certain aspects of my life such as finances, health issues, and friendships. I also get very frustrated with the publishing industry, plus the fact that doing great writing is HARD.
Excerpted from Day 56 in the book 100 Days of Weight Loss