Have you ever been just one fork length away from devouring a massive piece of chocolate cake? One armful away from a dozen doughnuts? One step away from a basket of heavenly fried yumminess? No. Don’t judge. Let’s face it…emotional eating is sometimes inevitable. Emotional eating, in my opinion, isn’t an issue. Emotional overeating, or mindless emotional eating, however, is a different story. I will admit that when I’m stressed out, I really crave sweets and comfort foods. There have been times where I’ve chosen to eat multiple bowls of chocolate ice cream, and yes, even an entire box of Eggo waffles instead of making a healthier, more responsible choice. It tasted really good and made me feel good in the moment. The downfall to these decisions have always been how I felt AFTER consuming said amount of food. Tired, just as stressed, and often sick to my stomach.

Last night was one of those nights. I was stressed out about a loved one’s health. I wanted to stay home and worry (probably consume some of the chocolate ice cream in my freezer). What stopped me? I had a commitment to others to teach a fitness class. The whole drive into town I was stressed out and not wanting to go there. Once I walked into the classroom and saw the committed few that came to class I almost instantly felt better. We got our blood flowing, muscles heated up, and the sweat flowing. I threw away the negative energy I was feeling and put it into teaching a class, into working out, into helping others get the great feeling of a workout. I can guarantee you that if I had stayed home due to stress and worry, I would have felt even worse about things. I probably would have consumed multitudes of “dessert.” I wouldn’t have given myself or others the chance to feel the relief and surge of happiness you get after accomplishing a workout.

If you find yourself on the verge of overindulging, I urge you to stop and think about the choices you might make when overcome with emotions and stress. Will eating large amounts of indulgence REALLY make you feel better? Or would you be better off doing something that feeds your soul? Take 10 minutes to read a book for pleasure, take a shower and style your hair just because, pop in a workout video, or call up your buddy and head to a fitness class. If you feel that emotional eating will provide some comfort, it is ok. Being mindful is the key to creating any healthy habit!