The Tapping Solution for Weight Loss & Body Confidence by Jessica Ortner

have to go deeper and tap on the words or the event itself. We’ll discuss just how to do this in the next chapter. For Rebecca this is exactly what happened. We began tapping on the anger behind her rebellion response, and soon she began remembering the many passive-aggressive comments her dad had made over the years about her weight, frequently pointing out thinner women and mentioning how good they looked. Over and over again, without ever blatantly criticizing her weight, he had made her feel less lovable and less worthy because of it. As we continued tapping through her emotions and memories, she was able to clear the enormous hurt and anger she had been keeping buried inside her. She knew that her journey to better health had nothing to do with her dad or social pressures; it was her personal journey to loving herself and seeing her own worth.
    It was a huge relief for Rebecca to be able to let go of such a big emotional burden, and for the rest of her stay she was able to feel calm and eat in a manner that was both enjoyable and respectful to her body. What’s even more interesting is that she had a better time with her father and could appreciate that he meant well, even if his actions and words felt hurtful.
    For another one of my clients, we were able to stop her emotional eating simply by tapping on a feeling. Kristie, a working mom, realized through tapping that she was most often triggered to reach for food when she was exhausted. She calls it the “mommy munching” syndrome, because for her it began when her daughter was young. Every time she was able to take a break, such as when her daughter was napping, Kristie made food for herself, even when she wasn’t hungry. Her habit of eating to relax became ingrained over time, perpetuating her struggle with weight. Once she was aware of this pattern, she was able to address her exhaustion more directly through tapping, opting for a nap, taking a hot bath, or exercising instead of eating.
    The possible triggers for your emotional eating are nearly endless, so now let’s figure out when you’re triggered, and then do some tapping.
    WHEN ARE YOU TRIGGERED TO ENGAGE IN EMOTIONAL EATING?
    Think about the last time you found yourself emotionally eating. Were you on the couch, standing over the kitchen counter, or in the car? Was it late at night or when you were alone in the house?
    Get clear on that emotional eating event and then ask yourself, “Did something happen or did I have a particular feeling right before I began?” That answer gives you a tapping target, whether it’s a feeling of exhaustion and frustration or something someone said or did. You can tap while giving a voice to that feeling.
    When Surrendering Emotional Eating Feels Like Self-Punishment
    McDonald’s and hot fudge sundaes were Tess’s happy times. Never one to eat when she was upset, she turned to food when she was feeling good, excited to indulge in a pleasurable experience. Emotional eating, which for her was overeating, had been her main source of pleasure, a reward she deserved and didn’t want to give up.
    Like Tess, many of us become attached to emotional eating. It’s a safety net, a reward, even a way to connect to the past—perhaps a reminder of the home-cooked meals Mom once so lovingly prepared. While we don’t feel comfortable or happy when we’re carrying excess weight, we resist the idea of giving up overeating because it has been our loyal companion for so long and the thought of giving it up feels unsafe.
    Most of us aren’t conscious of our relationship with overeating. It’s important to stop and ask, “What’s the downside of ending this habit?” This “downside” question is something we will visit many times throughout this book. In Tess’s case, food was her way of celebrating her accomplishments, including surviving another day in a work environment that felt out of control. Without food, she wondered, how would she “treat” herself to feeling