When Australian nutritionist Jessica Sepel was just 14, she discovered diets for the first time.
That discovery saw Jessica spiral into years of dieting and weight obsession that controlled her life and at one point, she become a chronic fad dieter on the verge of a ‘serious eating disorder’.
She also became caught in a ‘vicious cycle’ of emotional eating where she used food to reward and punish herself based on her emotions and struggled with a ‘restrictive mentality towards food’.
Now completely free of this mindset, the JSHealth founder has shared how she finally got on top of her emotional eating and put an end to it once and for all.
Australian nutritionist Jessica Sepel spent a number of years in her teens in a ‘vicious cycle’ of binge eating and emotional eating
Now completely free of this mindset, the JSHealth founder has shared how she finally got on top of her emotional eating and put an end to it once and for all
‘Whether we’re sad, lonely, happy or excited, we turn to food for comfort. But bingeing is triggered by deprivation, which leads to a vicious cycle,’ Jessica said in a post.
Binge eating is a result of rebelling against the feeling of starvation.
‘We need to understand the behavioural causes of emotional eating and empower ourselves with the knowledge to free ourselves from it. ‘
The first and most important step, she said, was giving up all forms of dieting, restriction and deprivation.
Restricting food intake, which many do as an emotional response to various life experiences, puts the body into starvation mode.
‘In my experience, binge eating is a result of rebelling against the feeling of starvation. In order to free ourselves we need to give up diets for good,’ she said
‘I believe that the most powerful thing we can do to nourish our bodies is to eat wholefoods,’ she said
This, Jessica said, is what often leads to bingeing.
‘Binge eating is a result of rebelling against the feeling of starvation. In order to free ourselves we need to give up diets for good,’ she said.
‘Instead of depriving your body of food, it’s time to start nourishing yourself and healing your relationship with nutrition. It’s important that we treat our bodies with love and care, and with this comes making healthier choices, particularly at meal times.’
Jessica said it’s also important to ‘eat with joy’ rather than being plagued with guilt and thoughts such as ‘I shouldn’t be eating this’.
Food should not be seen as ‘good’ or ‘bad’ as it leads to stress and triggers emotional eating over time.
‘Instead, become a mindful eater who eats with joy, not guilt. It’s so important to sit down, eat slowly and enjoy the eating experience. Enjoy each mouthful and practise positive affirmations at mealtimes,’ she said.
‘Instead, become a mindful eater who eats with joy, not guilt. It’s so important to sit down, eat slowly and enjoy the eating experience,’ she said
Food should not be seen as ‘good’ or ‘bad’ as it leads to stress and triggers emotional eating over time
Jessica said it’s also important for people to ask themselves whether they are ‘truly’ hungry before they eat and listen to their bodies, commit to a wholefood, balanced diet and take care of stress levels.
‘There’s no such thing as “perfect” so please release yourself from the pressure to eat perfectly. Changing our perception is the first step in adopting a balanced, mindful approach to food,’ Jessica said.
‘I believe that the most powerful thing we can do to nourish our bodies is to eat wholefoods.’
If you need help or support for an eating disorder or body image issue, please call Butterfly’s National Helpline on 1800 334 673 or e-mail support@thebutterflyfoundation.org.au