Have you ever wondered why you can lose weight but can't keep it off?

Have you ever wondered why you can lose weight but can't keep it off?

You may even find that you end up gaining more weight after yet another diet so think 'what is the point?'

This leaves you feeling like a failure, yet again.

Then the vicious cycle starts again - you feel rubbish so you reach for food and are back at square one.

Your self-esteem dips, all areas of your life suffer - family included.

This is severely impacting on your health and wellbeing.

And all because you are not getting to the root of the problem - understanding what drives your eating.

When you can identify the links between your eating and your feelings, you can actually begin to make permanent change.

The thing is, we learn emotional eating patterns, often as children.

This was a lightbulb moment for one of my client's Laura who went on to lose over a stone in 12 weeks.

My coaching programme enabled her to overcome her emotional eating which she says 'is no longer a thing for me any more.'

Breaking the cycle is not easy and does not happen overnight but there are some key things you can start to do immediately.

1. Explore why you're eating and find a replacement activity.

For example:

? If you're bored or lonely, call a friend.

? If you're stressed out, try some yoga, listen to some music or take a walk.

? If you're tired, rethink your bedtime routine. Tiredness can drive us to eat more.

? If you're eating to procrastinate, make a plan and get on with that work task. You'll feel better afterwards (honestly!).

2. Write down the emotions that trigger your eating.

One of the best ways to keep track is with a mood and food journal. Write down what you ate, how much, and how you felt (e.g., bored, happy, worried, sad, mad) and whether you were really hungry or.

Journalling can begin to help you to see patterns as well as encourage more mindfulness.

3. Eat without distraction

If you eat with the TV on or scrolling through Facebook, you are less likely to engage with our food. This not only means it is less enjoyable, which can lead us to want more later, you also won't connect with our fullness.

4. Think before eating

Too often, we rush through the day without checking in with ourselves. We're so stressed, overscheduled, and overworked that we lose out on time to reflect.

Even when you do become aware of what is going on, you may need support to help break the cycle. My 6-month programme can help you identify your eating patterns and get you on track with a better diet.

Have you tried any of these strategies and if so, were they useful?