Issues That Surface

I experienced this when I quit smoking. I found out how much I would retreat from pain or discomfort by smoking a bunch of cigarettes. Without the smokes, I just had to feel the pain.

I also found it made me much more forthright. If somebody hurts my feelings, I deal with it. I tell them and talk it out. I just don't know how to bottle it up any more.

I'm starting to notice changes in my physical appearance, and now I'm finding that I'm noticing other things as well. I used to use food as my coping device. Now that I do not allow myself to do that, I'm finding issues creeping to the surface. I'm finding myself having to deal with them in a very real and natural way. Part of me is pained by them, and another part of me wonders - is this something that happens with people that are emotional eaters? I've never experienced this before, and I know I'm going to have to overcome these challenges - I'm just wondering if anyone else out there has been down this road?

I think this is very common.... and I think this is why you hear of cases of people who have had gastric bypass, and they end up becoming alcoholics or picking up another addiction, because they used food to cope, and they completely lost that coping mechanism because their bodies no longer allow them to eat so much, but the feelings that caused the coping mechanism to start are still there, and still need to be dealt with.

It's a good thing though, we all have issues to overcome (if we didn't, we wouldn't all be here, right?). Just be honest with yourself, and if it's something you don't think you can handle on your own, there is no shame in reaching out for help, whether it be to a friend or to a professional.

This weight loss journey is a process why which we are healing our bodies, but we also need to heal our souls as well!

get ready.... it's just the beginning.

This is the truth, the more you focus on being healthy and not letting yourself emotionally eat the more you realize just how often you used food to cope