When you consume large quantities of food – usually "comfort" or junk food – in response to your feelings instead of hunger, then you are a "victim" of emotional eating.
Learn to recognize some of the common emotional eating cues and let us look at solutions to this vicious cycle that causes more harm than good.
Some of the common reasons for emotional eating are:
Feeling of hopelessness
- You look at yourself and your life as a "failure"! You feel that nothing is ever going to get better for you and so your health and your weight does not really matter. You look at food as a form of "comfort" and a "quick-fix" to helping you feel better.
Lack of Appreciation
- You have worked hard to achieve something at work or you may have made a personal accomplishment; but no one (not even your family) shares your pride and joy. You are tempted to congratulate yourself by "treating" yourself to a binge.
Lack of Control
- You feel that you no longer have control in your life; everyone and everything around you is ruling your life. Eating what you want and when you want is the only thing that you have power over; food becomes your main focus in life.
Anger
- If you are angry with yourself, with someone or with a situation, you use food to bottle up your feelings rather than confronting and dealing with them. Suppressing your feelings and not having to deal with a problem may seem like an easier thing to do.
Anxiety, Stress and Sadness
- Perhaps you are struggling with finances or you hate your job and you are feeling stressed out at work. Or maybe, you are undergoing a marital or a relationship break-up. Food becomes your "new best friend"; you find happiness as you binge to console yourself.
Boredom
- You feel lonely; there is nothing to do and nowhere to go. There is nothing at home to keep your mind and your hours occupied. Sitting in front of the television with comfort food makes the time go by.
If you fit into any one of these profiles, then, you are an emotional eater. Accepting why you eat the way that you do is a big step towards breaking this vicious cycle of emotional eating. Emotional eating does not resolve anything but actually causes your problems to multiply. As you are stuffing down food to avoid the issues, you are actually creating another issue – weight gain, guilt for overeating, health problems.
The good news is that there are solutions and tactics to end emotional eating.
Step 1: Identify Your Emotional Eating Triggers
All of us have different reasons for emotional eating; identify your emotional eating trigger. Keep a food diary and record how you are feeling and what you are eating. Make a note of how often you feel this way and how much you eat. You will soon find that your emotional eating has a pattern. Do you overeat when you are feeling lonely? Do you binge when you are angry? The only way to get the true measure of your own personal emotional eating triggers is seeing your habits in black and white.
Plan alternatives to eating
Plan alternative activities to eating so that you will have another option when you are faced with a similar situation or/and feeling. Exercise and walking helps relieve stress and anxiety; it generates energy and makes you feel good about yourself. Try yoga; relaxing your mind and body is a great way to take a step back from big emotions before you do something that you might regret.
Step 2: Limit Trigger Food
Stop stocking your fridge and pantry with "junk food". When you feel an urge to "binge", nibble on carrots or celery sticks; it is a healthier choice. Drinking herbal tea or water can also curb cravings.
Step 3: Avoid Skipping Meals
Your body and mind needs food for energy. Skipping meals almost always leads to over eating. Select foods that are healthy when planning your menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Step 4: Create Alternative to Eating
Planning other alternatives like reading a good book, listening to music, dancing, writing or pampering yourself to a good bubble bath or a massage can help you relax and avoid bingeing. Talking to friends and finding support groups is another way to get the support that you need instead of reaching for food for comfort.
Don't Give Up
When you "trip" (you will…we all do!), don't give up! Do not punish yourself; just start over the next day. Changing bad eating habits takes time, patience and perseverance. As you continue to focus on the positive and learn from the mistakes, you will eventually reach the goal of overcoming your emotional eating habits.
