Hunger Games: Tackling Emotional Eating

(upbeat music) Welcome to the Mindful Balance Mini Podcast.

If you are a woman over 40, ready to break free from fad diets and discover the power of balance and confidence in your life, then this podcast is for you and I am so happy that you are here.

I'm your host, I'm Rachel, a nutrition and mindset coach and I'm going to break down everything you need to know into bite-sized pieces of sustainable and realistic tips.

I wanna invite you to join me as we explore practical strategies to stop overeating, nourish your body, and use the potential of your amazing brain to achieve your goals.

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Hey there, welcome back.

We are going to talk today about one of my favorite topics and that is the mindset of scarcity, also known as the last supper syndrome.

This is a name that I love so much because it really takes it from "oh no, something is very wrong with me" to the realization that this is a very, very common mindset error.

I often say that understanding your mindset is like turning on a light in a dark room because once you see it, you can't unsee it and that's when real transformation begins.

So get comfortable and let's get into it.

When we talk about the last supper syndrome or the scarcity mindset, it may look like this in real life.

And I'm going to give you a few examples here.

Imagine it's the night before you start a new diet.

Usually Sunday night.

So you think to yourself, well, this is my last chance to enjoy all these foods that I really love.

So I might as well go all out.

What happens is you end up eating way more than you usually would, feeling uncomfortably full and ironically less satisfied.

Another way this may show up is you are at a social event and there is a buffet of delicious food.

Picture desserts, cute little appetizer, maybe fancy drinks and somewhere in the back of your mind, a voice says, "Who knows when I'll get to eat all these treats again.

I better eat up now.

" So you pile your plate high even though you had a full meal just hours before.

Or even on a smaller scale, you see an ad for your favorite dessert at a local bakery.

"Limited time only," it says.

And suddenly you are buying four pieces instead of one, even though the dessert isn't even something that you usually crave in large quantities.

So you must be thinking, yes, I can relate to that, but why does this happen to me all the time?

The short answer is that there are emotional triggers that lead to this kind of mindset.

The first one is the fear of missing out, also known as FOMO.

It is a huge driver here.

It's like your mind played tricks on you, painting a picture that this is your last chance or your last shot at happiness or satisfaction, which simply isn't true.

Additionally, there are underlying emotional factors like stress or loneliness or even excitement and celebration that can prompt us to fall into the scarcity mindset.

Sometimes it's not even about the food, but what that food really represents.

A sense of comfort, a momentary escape, or a reward.

And I'm almost sure that if you can remember back to your last birthday dinner, you know what I'm talking about.

This is my party, and I get to eat as much as I want because tomorrow it's no longer going to be available.

But other than emotional triggers, there is actually a historical and cultural background behind scarcity that's going back all the way to our ancestors.

And I'm going to explain it.

This is not a history lesson, okay?

Believe it or not, this mindset has historical roots.

Our ancestors often didn't know where their next meal would come from, so they had to make the most of what was available to them.

That's the lower brain, and I will explain about this in a minute.

But the lower brain is working its evolutionary magic.

Eat now while the food is here, or you might starve later.

In modern society, though, if you are listening to this, you are probably one of the fortunate parts of society to have a more constant food supply than what our ancestors had.

But that primitive part of your brain hasn't really caught up yet.

It still thinks that we need to eat as much as possible when food is abundant, even if that abundance is a daily occurrence and no one needs to go hunting in the forest for the next meal.

To truly understand why we fall prey to the Last Supper Syndrome, we have to get acquainted with two key players that control our actions.

They often refer to as the lower brain and the higher brain.

And if you are one of my clients, you are familiar with these concepts because it is key to understanding why we behave the way that we behave.

Think of the two parts of the brain as two consultants that you have.

Each with their own perspectives and motives and each one of them is sitting on your shoulder as you approach that all-you-can-eat buffet.

The first consultant, the lower brain, is your well-meaning yet somewhat impulsive friend.

This is the friend who says, "Life's too short.

Just eat the cake.

Don't worry about it.

You deserve it.

" Your lower brain, AKA your primitive brain, is the part that is responsible for our basic survival instincts like fight-flight and, in the context of our conversation, eat to survive.

Its goal is to keep you alive.

You are the human and the brain needs to make sure that you are alive and surviving.

The lower brain wants immediate rewards and safety and isn't too concerned with what's down the line.

When you are about to eat that third piece of cake, it's your lower brain that screams, "Yes!

More is better!

More happiness!

Right now, eat everything!

Eat as much as you want!

" On the other side, there is your higher brain.

This is the wise elder who has seen it all.

This is the evolved part of the brain, responsible for rational thinking, planning, and emotional regulation.

This is also the part of you that gently reminds you about your long-term goals and how you want to feel in your skin tomorrow.

When you find yourself reaching for another helping, it's your higher brain that calmly questions how will this align with your goals?

Do you really need more?

Or is this the last supper syndrome that is talking right now?

So what does this tension between the two parts of your brain look like?

Let's say you are at a family gathering and the table is full with all kinds of delicious foods.

Your lower brain is super excited and it is encouraging you to try a bit of everything, because who knows when you'll get this chance again.

At the same time, your higher brain is taking a step back, contemplating your health goals and how you want to feel about this dinner.

It's almost like you are at a crossroads, with each part of your brain offering different paths.

The lower brain says "feast, enjoy, this is rare, have fun" while the higher brain suggests "choose wisely, don't go overboard".

All this drama is in your brain while you're trying to enjoy.

It's really not a great life experience.

Now that we've recognized the dual happening in our heads between the lower brain and the higher brain, what can we actually do about it?

That's where the abundance mindset comes into play.

Awareness is the first step in shifting from scarcity to abundance.

When you become aware, you pull yourself out of autopilot.

Think of mindfulness as a bell that rings every time you are about to make food choices, inviting you to pause and consult both advisors, the lower brain and the higher brain.

Mindfulness is not just a buzzword, it's really more of a skill because practically you want to slow down the present moment so you can hear what your higher brain has to offer.

Once you have that awareness, then the next step is changing your perspective, which can be incredibly empowering.

Instead of thinking, "this is my last chance to eat this delicious cake," try thinking, "there is more where that cake came from.

I can always come back to this restaurant and have this dessert.

I can make this at home.

" It's really never the last time, even though your brain is trying to convince you, especially the lower brain, that this is a once in a lifetime opportunity.

This little shift can ease the tension between the two parts of your brain and help you make a choice that serves you both now and in the future.

If there is one thing that I want you to pay super close attention to, it's this.

The lower brain leads us into a scarcity mindset because it's running on old scripts and habits.

Most of us have been in the habit of believing the scarcity for 10, 20, sometimes even 30 plus years without questioning if it is even true.

And that is it true that we can only eat something now.

But even if you have been thinking this way for many years, you need to know this.

Habits can be rewritten.

We just redecorated my son's room because he got too cool for the room that he had.

He's 11 now, so this is my analogy right now.

Just like you might rearrange furniture in a room to make it more functional and inviting and appropriate for where you are in life right now, you can rearrange your mental furniture.

That can be maybe setting a new goal of taking 3 deep breaths before meals, just so you can center yourself.

Or perhaps it's practicing gratitude for the food that you have.

You want to create a moment of awareness right before you eat so that there is abundance in your life.

For the last part of this episode, because I not only want you to understand what's happening, but I also want to send you on your way with actions that you can take, let's talk about a powerful tool to bring peace between the two brain consultants.

The concept of bridging thoughts, which I mentioned I know on this podcast at least once before.

Think of a bridging thought as a diplomatic mediator, someone who understands the perspective of both sides and helps create a middle path that honors both the immediate joy and the long-term vision.

When we are caught in this last supper syndrome, we often have thoughts like, "I have to eat this now, otherwise I'll miss out.

" A bridging thought allows us to reframe this into something that's more balanced, like, "It's okay to enjoy this meal, and I also have the power to make choices that are aligned with my long-term wellbeing.

" When you learn to craft your own bridging thoughts, you take back control and write a narrative that supports both your immediate desires and long-term goals.

For instance, instead of thinking "I can't resist this food", a bridging thought could be "I can enjoy some of this food now and I can still honor my body's needs.

" One of the most common struggles that I hear from many clients is holiday gatherings.

So I want to offer you one last example before we say goodbye.

Imagine yourself surrounded by family recipes that you only get to eat once a year.

Instead of thinking, this is my only chance to eat my mom's special, let's say, pecan pie.

A bridging thought could be I can enjoy these pies and appreciate it even more when I eat it mindfully.

As we wrap up this episode, I just want to summarize that we went into understanding why we sometimes feel compelled to eat as if it's our last supper.

We met the two consultants in your brain, the impulsive driven lower brain, and the rational higher brain, and we learned how to mediate between them using the concept of bridging thoughts.

And if there's one last thing that you still can take away from this discussion, I want you to know that you have the power to rewrite your narrative around food.

You're not at the mercy of an ancient brain that is hard-wired for a feast or die lifestyle.

Times have changed and you have the tools to adapt.

Your journey towards a healthier, more balanced relationship with food and your body is yours to direct.

The roadmap is in your hands and I'm here to guide you and support you every step of the way.

I want you to take a moment to appreciate yourself for showing up today, for being willing to learn and for taking steps, however small, towards a more mindful, abundant life.

Thank you so much for tuning in.

I'm sending you a huge virtual hug, encouraging you to find your own middle path, one that honors both the joy of the present and the aspiration of tomorrow.

Lots of love.

Bye.

Thank you for tuning in to the Mindful Balance podcast today.

I hope you enjoyed our conversation and find inspiration to find your unique balance and confidence.

Remember that the journey continues on Instagram.

You can find me @rachelemmanutrition.

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Until next time, take care and stay mindful.

Bye!

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The Mindful Balance is brought to you by Rachel Emma Nutrition.

Our editing and mixing engineer is Michael Plawner
Our theme song is "Good Feelings" by Bo DeLison.

The information in this podcast does not substitute for medical or psychological advice and is intended for educational purposes only.

Please consult a qualified health professional regarding health conditions or concerns before starting a new diet or health program.

Rachel Emma Nutrition LLC and accompanying websites and social media platforms are not responsible for adverse reactions, effects, or consequences resulting from the use of any suggestions herein or procedures undertaken hereafter.

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