Emotional Eating: The Bread of Life

Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare. — Isaiah 55:1-2

• It is not uncommon for people to turn to food when emotions run high.

Whether we are experiencing sadness, stress, loneliness, or even celebratory excitement, we can often find ourselves in the kitchen. This emotional eating — eating prompted by emotions rather than physical hunger — usually involves foods that aren’t good for our bodies, as well as excessive amounts of that less-than-healthy food.

So what steps do we take to stop running to food? Jesus called Himself “the bread of life” (John 6:35), and He taught that He gives us “living water” (John 4:10). In other words, we have all been created with a void that can be filled only by Him. We can try filling it with things of this world, such as food, but we will never feel satisfied. That being the case, when we find ourselves dealing with intense emotions — usually low, but sometimes high — we need to learn to run to the Word, which is the only thing that will satisfy our true hunger.

Again, emotional eating isn’t about the food; it’s about the emotions we are feeling in the moment. God’s Word has all the answers to all our problems. So when we have emotional hunger pangs, let’s go to Jesus and cast our cares upon Him, find wisdom for our problems, or simply praise Him for His defeat of sin and His love for us.

Only in Jesus will you find true satisfaction and nourishment for your soul.

Lord, I thank You — You who are the bread of life and the living water — that You satisfy my soul. The next time I’m tempted to reach for food because of emotions, please remind me that it will not satisfy me. I do thank You for food, but I turn to You for the spiritual food that truly satisfies. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Dash of Inspiration

As far as your physical body is concerned, be sure you are getting plenty of protein and a good amount of fiber with each meal. These will better satisfy your hunger.

There are times, though, when it is not truly physical hunger at all. In those times prayer, praise, and speaking the Word can be powerful tools to fill you emotionally and spiritually. I personally love to go on walks and spend time with the Lord, asking Him to strengthen me. The great thing about this is that He promises always to draw near to us when we draw near to Him. It is then that you have the true revelation that you truly can do all things through Christ who gives you strength!

Recipes

Chicken Caesar Wraps

• 1 cup cooked and chopped chicken
• 1 cup shredded romaine lettuce
• 2 slices center-cut bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• ¼ cup light Caesar dressing
• 2 low-carb /high-fiber wraps or tortillas
• 1. Place chicken, lettuce, bacon, and Parmesan in a large bowl. Add dressing and toss lightly.
• 2. Divide filling between two tortillas. Roll up tightly and enjoy!

Nutritional Break down: 2 servings; 320 calories per serving

Ten-Minute Taco Salad

• ½ cup canned corn
• 2 low-carb /high-fiber tortillas or wraps
• ½ cup taco sauce
• 1 cup cooked extra-lean ground turkey (or extra-lean ground beef)
• 4 cups lettuce
• ½ cup salsa
• 2 tablespoons plain low-fat Greek yogurt

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Measure out 1/2 cup of canned corn and place in small bowl, reserving rest of corn for later use. Using any empty can you have on hand or an ovensafe mugs or dishes, drape the wraps over the cans or mugs. Place in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the tortillas are golden brown and crispy.

2. While the tortillas are baking, add the taco sauce to the cooked meat and stir until well combined.

3. When the tortillas are cooled, take them off the can, and flip them so that they are in the shape of a bowl.

4. Add the lettuce, ground turkey, corn, salsa, and yogurt. Enjoy!

Nutritional Break down: 2 servings; 300 calories per serving

Excerpted from Devotionals for a Healthier You by Katie Farrell, copyright Thomas Nelson.

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Your Turn

Are you an emotional eater? Do you head for the fridge and pantry when emotional hunger pangs strike? Today, let’s pray that the Lord would help us to turn to Him and cast our cares upon Him since it’s only in Jesus that find true satisfaction and nourishment for our souls. ~ Devotionals Daily