How I Stopped Emotional Eating – My Story

Blog Post Title: How I Stopped Emotional Eating – My Story

Emotional eating is an unspoken topic in the church, but I’m ready to start the conversation. In this blog, I’ll share how I stopped emotional eating and how you can too.

Suppose someone were to bravely walk into church and admit they have an addiction to drugs, alcohol, or gambling. In that case, they’d likely receive a supportive community who’d pray with them, help connect them to resources where they can receive medical help, and be taught from the Bible how Jesus gave His life to be set free from addiction.

But what if the addiction is food? You can’t walk away from food like you can from drugs, alcohol, or gambling. You need food to live. You don’t need alcohol, drugs, and gambling. Yet, like these addictions, emotional eating creates a barrier between us and God. When we go to these earthly substitutions (including food) instead of Jesus, we limit God from being able to bring His love and truth into our pain.

God wants to touch every part of our lives, even the depths of our hearts, where it seems too vulnerable to expose to an all mighty God. God loves you and He wants His love to touch the very core of your being and set you free from needing to sooth it with chips, ice cream or lo mein.

“To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the LORD has planted for his own glory.”

Isaiah 61:3-4

My Story

(This is an excerpt from The Peaceful Body Approach – 6 Biblical Keys to Unlock a Healthy Relationship With Your Body)

It started with Ben and Jerry’s.

Something set me off that afternoon, and I’d decided the best way to let off steam was to polish off a pint of Phish Food. As I was about to go for my first bite, I heard the Holy Spirit say,

“Tamara, if you eat this ice cream, we’ll have to work through your shame first for eating the entire container. Then we’ll deal with what’s making you angry, too. OR, you can put down the spoon and talk to me about your anger. After you’re at peace, you can still have your ice cream and actually enjoy it.”

9 Ways to Reduce Stress and Enhance Peace and Joy with Jesus

That moment forever changed how I related to food. Food stopped being a weapon I wielded against myself in shame. Instead, it became something I freely enjoyed.

Over the next few years, God revealed how I could run to Him instead of food. Whether I was angry, sad, or hurt, I brought it all to Him. In times of prayer and worship, He’d take my pain and release it with His hope, peace, and joy.

How I stopped emotional eating

Emotional eating is common. You’re not alone in your struggle. It’s important to know that because emotional eating can cause a lot of shame, driving you to hide your habit. I lived that way for several years until I met a friend with the same struggle. Bringing light to my food addiction through sharing my struggle began my healing journey. Slowly the grip of shame began to lose it’s tight hold on me.

In the following year, I gave my life to Jesus. I was desperate for help with my food addiction, diet pill addiction, and eating disorder. I knew I’d come to the end of myself and needed the help of a mighty God who could do what I couldn’t in my strength. The year before my salvation, I sought help through therapy at a center that dealt specifically with people who had an eating disorder. Therapy is excellent, and I’ve returned to it several times in my adult life. But there is no replacement for the love, power, and truth that Jesus gives. Therapy can give us awareness, wisdom and insight, but Jesus heals and sets us free.

Over the next several years, the love of God pulled me closer to a relationship with Him. Instead of digging into Ben and Jerry’s pints, I dug into the bible. Instead of glazing over in front of the TV, I spent time with Him, went to church, and hung out with fellow believers. Now, decades later, I enjoy food, a healthy life, and my beautiful family, all free from the weight of body shame and emotional eating.

Tips to stop emotional eating

• Ask God to help you go to Him instead of food.
• If you haven’t received Jesus as your Lord, welcome Him into your heart.
• Share your struggle with emotional eating with a safe friend, pastor, or counselor – or all three!
• Seek truth by reading the Bible. My favorite study tool is the She Reads Truth devotionals.
• When the urge to eat emotionally rises, pray. Turn on worship music and talk to God.
• Keep a journal to recognize patterns, and triggers in your emotional eating.
• Download Chapter 1 of The Peaceful Body Approach. It’s a biblical framework for being free from body shame and unhealthy habits.

The last thing you need to know about emotional eating

You can be free from emotional eating, an eating disorder, or addiction to diet pills. I was told I’d never truly heal and would struggle with it for the rest of my life before I became a Christian. It’s not true. Jesus heals. He healed me, and He wants to do the same for you!