Is MEE Syndrome Making You Fat?

By Dr. John H. Sklare
 Psychologist

Weight control is a very difficult and emotional endeavor. It drags you to the edge of human tolerance and tugs at every emotion in the human condition. As I interact with people, the agony and frustration of this struggle is a common topic of conversation. People are always contemplating that monumental question: will I ever get fit and healthy and reach my goal?

Whether you succeed or fail depends on the actions you take and the decisions you make along the way. When all is said and done, where you end up is a direct result of the choices that you make. Each and every choice you make has the potential of getting you closer to your goal or taking you farther away. That’s why it’s so important to be a good decision-maker. Too many people spend far too much time looking to the past for answers, or worrying about the future. The truth is that what you do NOW is the key to what happens later. So, to answer that question regarding whether or not you will ever reach your health goal, I say this: today’s decision is tomorrow’s reality!

If I can be so bold as to greatly oversimplify this whole process, weight management is a decision-making problem. Sure you need information about nutrition and yes, you certainly must exercise but, for the most part, this is a decision-making problem. Everyone knows they should eat right and exercise but so many of you consistently choose not to. This is exactly why I preach about the importance of being a mindful decision-maker and focusing on the present moment.

Decisions have consequences -- plain and simple. Too many people suffer from what I call the MEE syndrome. MEE is an acronym for Mindless Emotional Eating. If you focus on each health choice you make, you can minimize and control MEE.

The reality is that the physical act of eating always follows the mental decision to eat. You always decide to eat before the actual eating. There is no great mystery here about which comes first, as in that old philosophical debate regarding the chicken and the egg. The physical act of eating ALWAYS follows the mental decision to eat. Success lies in choosing wisely and living in the moment.

In the end, it all comes down to this: there is one incredibly powerful moment when the decision to eat is made. If you can manage that moment, you can solve this problem. Remember, today’s decision is tomorrow’s reality!

Dr. John Sklare, director of theEmotional Support Center, shares his expertise on "emotional eating"  . With the current emphasis on Mind/Body medicine and natural healing, Dr. Sklare stands firmly on the leading edge!