I have a name for the act of soothing oneself with food. “Cupboard Love”. I don’t know when I first heard the term, maybe I made it up, but what I do know, is it is a pretty accurate description of the act. Cupboard love is what got me to almost three-hundred pounds.
There are a plethora of prompts that would propel one to seek comfort from food. It could be as simple as boredom, or it could be much more complex than that. We all have our reasons for nurturing ourselves through cupboard love.
Boredom, avoidance and stress are my three biggest culprits. For example, I was folding a basket of laundry one day recently, and stopped in the middle of the task to go into the kitchen for a snack. When I realized what I was doing, I stopped myself.
I did not want to fold that basket of clothes, and in order to avoid the unpleasant task, I stopped and went to the kitchen for a snack. Being a big believer in self-talk, I did a quick question and answer session with myself. I wasn’t even hungry, I was simply avoiding the task, nothing more.
Right then I gave myself permission to STOP folding the laundry. I’m an adult, and there isn’t anyone making me fold laundry. If I do not want to do it, I don’t have to do it! You cannot imagine how freeing that was? Or maybe you can.
So today is sort of stressful day. It isn’t a monumental situation, but nonetheless, to me my preoccupation with this stressors are triggering a desire to seek comfort through cupboard love. Maybe the deliciousness of waxy-chocolate covered mini donuts in the kitchen would quench that angst.
But then something wonderful happened. I logged onto my blog, and found a comment waiting from my friend and follower, Ann. She had replied to one of my posts from yesterday.
Reading the comments about her own weight-loss struggles really empowered me to stay out of the kitchen and regain control. That connection was all that I was seeking. Here I was about ready to blow out the candles on my pity party cake, and Ann’s thoughtful comments was all the nourishment I needed.
The satisfaction from cupboard love is short-lived, but a little acknowledgement from a friend for a job well-done, can satisfy like nothing else. It occurred to me that even though I am feeling powerless over the thing that has me stressed, I am NOT a powerless person. I have a choice in how I react to stressors, or boredom, or whatever!
So, thank you Ann! Your comments came at the precise time when I needed them the most. I really love when synchronicity makes it presence known.
Please share your struggles and best practices. You never know if your comment may be the very thing that unlocks a door for another reader. Sometimes, the epiphany happens for us as we’re typing out the words. Whatever the case, I hope you will share with the rest of us.
PattyOpinion 