Emotional Eating

 Do you eat more when you are feeling stressed? Do you eat when you are not hungry or when you are full? Do you eat to feel better ? Do you reward yourself with food when you are feeling lonely? Do you regularly eat until you have stuffed yourself? Does food make you feel safe? Do you feel like food is a friend? Do you feel powerless or out of control around food? That is where Emotional eating comes into picture - the practice of consuming large quantities of food -- usually "comfort" or junk foods -- in response to feelings instead of hunger. Experts estimate that 75% of overeating is caused by emotions.

Emotional eating is using food to make yourself feel better. To fill emotional needs, rather than your stomach. Unfortunately, emotional eating doesn’t fix emotional problems. In fact, it usually makes you feel worse. Afterward, not only does the original emotional issue remain, but you also feel guilty for overeating.

We don’t always eat just to satisfy physical hunger. Many of us also turn to food for comfort, stress relief or to reward ourselves. And when we do, we tend to reach for junk food, sweets and other comforting but unhealthy foods. You might reach for a pint of ice cream when you’re feeling down, order a pizza if you’re bored or lonely, or swing by the drive-through after a stressful day at work.

The first step in putting a stop to emotional eating is identifying your personal triggers. What situations, places, or feelings make you reach for the comfort of food? Most emotional eating is linked to unpleasant feelings, but it can also be triggered by positive emotions, such as rewarding yourself for achieving a goal or celebrating a holiday or happy event.

Common causes of emotional eating

Stress- So often in our chaotic, fast-paced world, your body produces high levels of the stress hormone, cortisol. Cortisol triggers cravings for salty, sweet, and fried foods. Foods that give you a burst of energy and pleasure. The more uncontrolled stress in your life, the more likely you are to turn to food for emotional relief.

Stuffing emotions- Eating can be a way to temporarily silence for uncomfortable emotions, including anger, fear, sadness, anxiety, loneliness, resentment, and shame. Avoid the difficult emotions by mindful eating and not with your emotions.

Boredom or feelings of emptiness- Just because you feel unfulfilled and empty, food is not the way to just occupy your mouth and your time. Infact it fills you up and distracts you from underlying feelings of purposelessness and dissatisfaction with your life. So, try to involve yourself into other productive activities or work.

Childhood habits- These habits can often carry over into adulthood. Think back to your childhood memories of food. Did your parents reward good behaviour with ice cream, take you out for pizza when you got a good report card, or serve you sweets when you were feeling sad?

Social influences- Getting together with other people for a meal is a great way to relieve stress, but it can also lead to overeating. It’s easy to overindulge simply because the food is there or because everyone else is eating. You may also overeat in social situations out of nervousness. Or perhaps your family or circle of friends encourages you to overeat and it’s easier to go along with the group.

Alternatives to emotional eating

Practice mindful eating- Eating while you’re also doing other thing such as watching TV, driving, or playing with your phone can prevent you from fully enjoying your food. Since your mind is elsewhere, you may not feel satisfied or continue eating even though you’re no longer hungry. Eating more mindfully can help focus your mind on your food and the pleasure of a meal and curb overeating.

Support yourself with healthy lifestyle habits- When you’re physically strong, relaxed and well rested, you are able to handle the curveballs that life inevitably throws your way in a better way. Exercise, sleep, and other healthy lifestyle habits will help you get through difficult times without emotional eating.

Make daily exercise a priority- Physical activity does wonders for your mood and energy levels, and it’s also a powerful stress reducer. And getting into the exercise habit is easier than you may think.

Aim for 8 hours of sleep every night- When you don’t get the sleep you need, your body craves sugary foods that will give you a quick energy boost. Getting plenty of rest will help with appetite control and reduce food cravings.

Make time for relaxation's- Give yourself permission to take at least 30 minutes every day to relax, decompress, and unwind. This is your time to take a break from your responsibilities and recharge your batteries.

Avoid using gadgets before sleeping- Eat your food at least two to three hours before sleeping.

Connect with others- Spending time with positive people who enhance your life will help protect you from the negative effects of stress.

Hydration is the best therapy- Water therapy works the best! Keep your hydration and electrolytes levels in check!

How do you get back on track?

When negative emotions threaten to trigger emotional eating, you can take steps to control cravings. To help stop emotional eating, try these tips:

Keep a food diary- Write down what you eat, how much you eat, when you eat, how you're feeling when you eat and how hungry you are. Over time, you might see patterns that reveal the connection between mood and food.

Tame your stress- If stress contributes to your emotional eating, try a stress management technique, such as yoga, meditation or deep breathing.

Have a hunger reality check- Is your hunger physical or emotional? If you ate just a few hours ago and don't have a rumbling stomach, you're probably not hungry. Give the craving time to pass.

Get support- You're more likely to give in to emotional eating if you lack a good support network. Lean on family and friends or consider joining a support group.

Fight boredom- Instead of snacking when you're not hungry, distract yourself and substitute a healthier behaviour. Take a walk, watch a movie, play with your pets, listen to your favourite music, read, surf the internet or call and meet a friend.

Take away temptation- Don't keep hard-to-resist comfort foods in your home. And if you feel angry or blue, postpone your trip to the grocery store until you have your emotions in check.

Snack healthy- If you feel the urge to eat between meals, choose a healthy snack such as fresh fruits, vegetables with low-fat dip, assorted nuts, seeds or healthy dips. You may try lower calorie versions of your favourite foods to see if they satisfy your cravings.