Why I stopped hiding my cravings

I’m a very private person, but a year ago, I took a deep breath and decided to start sharing my eating habits.

They weren’t anything too dramatic. I don’t have an eating disorder, but I did eat constantly through the day.

I didn’t think about it much until I read an article about having two snacks a day in between meals. And I thought, ‘just 2?’

I was probably eating something every hour, so I started to wonder why I was eating so often.

I’d just find myself stood in front of the fridge looking for something, or rummaging around in a cupboard trying to work out what I fancied.

When I hit perimenopause it got worse. A strange feeling in the pit of my stomach that I couldn’t fill, and I was constantly searching for something that would fill that void - but nothing ever did.

It’s embarrassing wanting to eat all the time. So I hid it from my family. I’d be back into the kitchen, clearing up after meals, picking at leftovers, squaring off blocks cheese, tidying edges of cakes, picking chocolate chips out of cookies, hoping no-one would notice.

It never crossed my mind that other people did the same.

When I realised other people did it too, it was a massive relief and the start of a journey to break hidden habits that were affecting my weight, and ultimately my health.

So I decided to be brave and share my story and be honest about my experience, because I wanted to help other women who were going through the same to know they weren’t alone.

If this is something you have struggled with, then you might be interested in my new video on YouTube, where I give a very honest account of my relationship with food.

Letting go of the shame is the first step to change your relationship with food, and knowing that other people are going through the same is proof that you aren’t the problem.

That was a turning point for me, and I hope it can be a turning point for you too.