Temptations and emotional eating

I think I have foolishly thought this time around on the journey would surely come with no temptations but, as I said, that is a foolish thought.

I have had an extremely busy day. I walked 2miles, I have cleaned, I have gotten 2 kiddo's ready for time out of the house, gone to the car wash to get quarters,  dropped one kiddo off at the sitters, took the other to a GI doctor appointment, picked up child number 1, have come home laid kiddo's down, and I am feeling antsy.  I knew I needed to feed this body of mine so I had a small "meal" and right now though I just want to emotionally eat all of my stress away. I want chocolate and not just a 2point chocolate I want a 14pt kind of chocolate (lol) I want potatoe chips, and a huge 3 or 4 slices of pizza. This is what I want. Now I have a choice to make I can indulge in all  my point allowances that I have earned from being active, i can indulge in the rest of my 26pts weekly allowance as well. But what will it really get me? Full? Maybe. Satisfied? Not likely, because indulging only makes me to want to indulge more.

The truth behind emotional eating is that we are turning to a piece of food to satisfy our inner desire for peace. When stress, any kind of stress, -whether it be grieving the loss of loved ones, or the ending of a relationship, or in my case a busy day with 2 active babies,- begins to set in to our lives we (well at least ME) want a substantial formula to get it under control and make us feel better. Chocolate, cake, candy, french fries, insert favorite comfort food, some how has this effect to make us relax. So we turn to it because for years (for most of us that struggle with this) we have conditioned our brain to say "this makes me feel as though all things will be okay."

I think a key component of learning how to stop emotional eating is learning how to replace the chocolate, cake, whatever, with something that is healthier, stronger, and more soul soothing. I know that during these times where all I want to do is have a 14pt piece of chocolate I often turn to prayer. I turn to the one that I believe is ultimately suppose to satisfy my soul. I turn to Jesus. And I pray, and pray, and pray. And I keep praying- and these prayers are not the "on my knees head bowed type of prayers, but they are simple. "Lord, help me to not eat this." "God distract me and lead me some where else." "Lord make a friend available to talk me through this temptation." "God help me to get up and dance instead of eating." "Lord help me find good music to listen to instead." "Lord give me the ability to write what I am feeling today." Then I will remind myself of all the reasons why I am doing this, my children, my family , to bring glory to God. If I emotionally try to eat all my stress away what does that say about me. Yes, it says that I am human, but it also says that I don't really believe everything that I preach because I'm not practicing it.

So, what do you turn to when you find yourself wanting to emotionally eat your troubles away?