Help yourself by identifying and managing unhealthy feelings about food
If some of your behaviour around food and exercise is unhealthy, you may be aware of it but day to day activities and stresses may mean that you dismiss it or don’t know what to do next.
It can be helpful to keep a food and activity diary to allow you to map your thoughts and feelings around eating and exercising.
Record
For one week, keep a small notebook and pen with you. Each day:
- Write down everything you eat and drink
- Write down your exercise and activities and keep a note of any significant events during the week
- Record episodes of going without food for long periods of time, overeating or other behaviour around food
- For each entry, think about how you were feeling before, during and after the food or activity and write your thoughts and emotions alongside.
For each entry, think about how you were feeling before, during and after the food or activity and write your thoughts and emotions alongside.
Review
Put the notebook away for a few days, then go back and read through it. When it's not as fresh and you don't have the immediate stresses on your mind, it can be easier to see patterns and links between food, your feelings and any significant events. You may find it helpful to review with a supportive friend or someone you’re seeing professionally.
Think
Your food diary will give you an overview of your week and provide clues and links to your behaviour around food. You can use this to make changes towards healthier habits.
If you can learn to recognise the situations and feelings that lead you to engage in unhealthy eating behaviours it will help you to figure out ways of dealing with them. The things you find out about yourself may surprise you.
Act
Start making goals. Once you have an idea of when you feel most vulnerable and can identify when you turn to or away from food to ease the difficult feelings, then committing to weekly, sensible goals can help to encourage you to change your behaviour gradually.
Keeping a food and activity diary can help you to start facing an eating disorder, but it is unlikely to be something you can recover from alone. If you or someone you know is living with an eating disorder, then it is important to seek help and support and visit your GP.
