Does believing negative thoughts affect your cravings?
Updated: Aug 26
Mini series, week 3:
So far, we have talked about guarding the door to your mind and identifying the thoughts that quietly steal your confidence, peace, and joy.
What do you do once you've recognized those thoughts?
We tend to believe all our thoughts are true. But this is definitely not the case. We have thousands of thoughts every day. Some are helpful, and some are not. We do have a choice; we don’t have to believe every thought we have.
Your Brain Can Learn New Patterns
It is encouraging that our brains can change. The thoughts we have had for years have become automatic. But they don’t have to be permanent. Every time we choose a healthier way of thinking, that creates new pathways in our brains. You choose a healthier way of thinking; you're helping your brain create a new pathway.
If you learn to write with your non-dominant hand. It would feel awkward at first and unnatural. You would have to think about every movement, but as you practice, it will become easier. This is true with your thoughts as well. At first, thinking positive thoughts will feel forced because your brain is used to traveling the old path.
The more you practice, the more natural it becomes. This doesn’t mean that you pretend everything is perfect. Choose thoughts that are honest, encouraging, and help you move forward.
Instead of saying you will never change, try saying change takes time. When you say change takes time, you are leaving room for growth, instead of slamming the door with a negative thought.
Think of your mind like a garden. A garden doesn’t just become beautiful; there is a certain amount of work that goes into it. Someone planted the flowers and picked the weeds.
Positive thoughts are the flowers being allowed to grow. Negative thoughts are the weeds trying to choke out the flowers.
How This Relates to Emotional Eating
Our relationship with food reflects what our internal dialog is saying. If we shame ourselves for giving into that bowl of ice cream, it creates negative feelings that turn to negative thoughts. Shame will make you feel you should give up, and that can lead to more emotional eating. If you respond in a more positive way by saying, “"Today didn't go the way I hoped, but one choice doesn't erase all the healthy choices I've made."
This creates hope, and that makes it easier to get back on track, instead of waiting til Monday. Our situation hadn’t changed, but our thoughts did, and that is the beginning of change.
This Week's Takeaway
Your thoughts influence the way you feel. Your feelings influence the choices you make. When you begin changing your thoughts, you begin changing the direction of your life. Every healthy thought you choose is another seed planted in the garden of your mind. Over time, those seeds grow into confidence, peace, and freedom.
If something you read today feels familiar, I want you to know you don't have to figure it all out on your own. The private Beyond Emotional Eating Community is a supportive space for women who want to better understand emotional eating, cravings, stress, and their relationship with food. It is not a weight-loss or dieting community. Inside, you’ll find practical tools, exclusive resources, group support, and monthly live coaching calls, all offered without judgment.
Next week, we'll discover how to protect your mind by filling it with the things that strengthen hope, build resilience, and help you thrive.
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