Intuition & Overeating
        By Lisa S. Lawless, Ph.D., Holistic Wisdom C.E.O.

So many of us struggle with over-eating and weight gain. There are many reasons for this. Some psychological, some physiological, and others environmental. Yet there is a tool that we can use to help prevent this unhealthy way of consuming food, and that is by using our intuition.

Our intuition tells us when we are eating from hunger, and when we are not. Taking the time to reflect on why we are eating when we are not physically hungry can be worth it's weight in lost pounds! "Tuning in" to our intuition allows us to discern what is really "eating at us," and why it is motivating us to eat "comfort food," that are body simply does not need or want. Doing this will allow you to figure out if this is being done for emotional, physical, or environmental reasons.

Here are a couple tips to assist you in using your intuition more often to prevent over-eating-

When you do eat, do so by sitting down in a calm environment without distractions: radio, newspapers, books, intense conversations, and television.

Take a moment before eating to meditate and sense your body. Are you really experiencing hunger pains? Sense your emotional state. Are you needing something other than food? Do you need to release your emotions, receive nurturing? Sense  your environment, are you eating to please someone else? Are you being socially pressured to over-eat?

If you find that you are eating due to emotional needs you can begin by meeting those emotional needs in a new healthy way... here are a few suggestions: Cry, walk, call a friend, hit a pillow, write in a journal, listen to soothing music, draw a picture of your pain, take a bath, ask to be held, rock yourself, meditate, or exercise. Let yourself be creative and make up your own way to honor your emotional needs.

If you find that you are eating due to a stressful or coercive environment, then re-evaluate your eating times and places to better suit your needs.

If you find that you think you have a physical problem with overeating, make sure you see your primary care physician for a check-up. You may have a thyroid problem, or another physical ailment, and it is always best to check with your doctor if you are unsure.

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