The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for
it.
~Henry David Thoreau
Overcoming emotional eating and losing weight requires an understanding of your energy cycles. Many people expect themselves to operate at a peak performance level on a daily basis, as if they're machines or robots. When this doesn’t happen, they view it as a bad or wasted day. This is completely unrealistic.
We are part of nature, and like everything else in nature, our body runs on energy cycles. This means that each of us has a unique energy rhythm that sometimes fluctuates due to work, the seasons,
hormones, exercise, diet, illness, and other things that expend or demand our energy.
We often turn to overeating, especially sugar and chocolate, as a way to energize ourselves. We may initially get a temporary energy high from
overeating, but in the long run, it leaves us lethargic. And the more overweight we become, the less energy we have to devote to life.
To function optimally, we need to allow for periods of rest and relaxation. As a coach, I often run into people who won’t allow themselves much downtime. They feel guilty about taking the time out, or they feel that it’s a complete waste of
time, yet they’re suffering from burnout, turning to food and caffeine to cope, and they’ve often begun to have health problems as a result.
As a business owner, I understand this, as I often have to work long hours, and because of that, I sometimes experience periods where I lose my sense of enthusiasm and I’m just plain tired. I’ve learned that it’s essential for me
to lay low for a while after I go through a period of working intensely. This brings my life and my energy back into balance.
I’ve learned that downtime is actually an active time because that’s when my battery is being recharged.
My best creative ideas and solutions come to me when I step away from all my work activity, and inspiration often strikes during a walk or just lying on the couch doing nothing.
After a day or two of "doing nothing," I notice my zest for living returns and I come back to my work refreshed and ready to tackle problems that seemed overwhelming just a few days
before.
How to Tune into Your Energy Cycles
- Check-in with yourself frequently during the day.
- Notice the
time of day you feel most energetic.
- Try to plan your most demanding tasks during your peak energy times.
- Notice what foods, people, and experiences drain your energy.
- Notice what types of food, people, and experiences energize you.
- Notice what seasons give you the most energy.
- Devote time to replenishing yourself each day.
- Eliminate things that don’t support your aliveness.
What are the biggest energy drainers in your life?
What or where can you cutback or eliminate?
Devote time on the week-ends to recharge. Don’t spend all your time running from one task or activity to the next. Spend some time on things that relax you, enliven
you, and bring you a sense of joy.
Question to Ponder
Fat on the body is simply stored energy. You've got it. Now, what are going to do with that energy?
Today, I become mindful of what gives me energy and what drains my energy.
I release things that sap my energy and no longer serve me.
