Podcast 06 – How to Stop Emotional Eating
When you’re stressed or upset, do you find yourself eating more or eating without even realizing you’re doing so? If so, you have emotional hunger. And, if you’re like many people this hunger can be soothed by the nearest jelly doughnut. In this podcast, I cover how to stop emotional eating.
What is Emotional Eating?
Emotional eating occurs when we eat to tame negative emotions. We use food for many things besides nourishment. We also use it as a way to relieve boredom, stress, sadness and anxiety.
This feels satisfying. That’s why it’s so hard to stop. Partially because the brain craves fatty and sugar-laden foods when we’re stressed. The problem: Food provides short-term gratification. The feelings always come back, sometimes with a vengeance. Eating to heal emotional pain doesn’t solve the problem.
How to Stop Emotional Eating
Discover your triggers. Keep a food and emotion diary for a week. Or, ask yourself one question before eating:
What’s eating me?
More tips on overcoming emotional eating:
* Be aware of your emotions. Go through a mental checklist, before you eat, snack, or drink. Ask yourself these two questions: What kind of mood am I in? Am I really hungry?
* Stay away from the television. Food advertisements can play with your head. This makes you not only think more about food but also increase your desire to eat. What’s more, television may feed insecurities.
* Induce positive emotions. This is not dismissing negative emotions. Shifting to a more positive mood ease emotional eating. This includes activities like: exercising for 20 minutes, watching a funny movie, and talking with supportive friends.
Want more information about emotional eating? Check out these resources.
Emotional Eating Test (Psychology Today)
Our Moods, Our Foods (The Atlantic)
Weight loss: Gain control of emotional eating (Mayo Clinic)