Posted by Emotional eating, also referred to as stress-eating, is something we all do from time to time. It is a more frequent occurrence for many of us because our ties to food are strong. Food is important to survive, thus it is not surprising that it grants us pleasure and comfort. Reaching for food in times of discomfort is a natural response, but turning that into a habit or coping mechanism is bad for your mental and physical health. Comfort foods provide relief from explosive emotions, since they boost the level of serotonin in our body – a chemical that calms the brain. However, the effect is temporary, so you will probably end up overeating to compensate.
Emotional eating is not an illness, but it can progress into a binge-eating disorder if you don’t resolve the underlying problem. When emotional eating gets out of control, it can lead to various health issues, such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, and type-2 diabetes. If you want to escape the vicious cycle of stress-eating, try these tips:
1. Identify the Problem
The first step towards resolving or combating an issue is to recognize and acknowledge it. Whenever you experience the urge to eat a pound of cheesecake, pint of ice cream, a hefty bar of chocolate, or a big bag of chips, admit that you are not actually hungry or starving. It might not seem like much, but knowing and accepting the truth is crucial to salvation. If you don’t view a problem as a problem, the chances of solving it are significantly low. Identify the sparking emotion, which could be anxiety, sadness, stress, boredom, or loneliness.
2. Refrain from Self-judgment
When a person realizes that they are doing something wrong or unjustified, they automatically feel guilt and shame. The desire to suppress overwhelming emotions by eating is not a crime, so you shouldn’t worry about hiring a criminal defense attorney to redeem yourself. Despising or criticizing yourself for eating in a sentimental situation won’t help. Ruthlessly judging oneself adds to the stress and further deteriorates mental health. Consider emotional eating a minor setback that you can easily overcome by sheer determination and better lifestyle choices.
3. Keep a Food Diary
Keep track of everything you eat throughout the day and also write down why you ate a particular food item at a particular time. The food diary will reveal your eating patterns and simplify elimination of emotional eating. You can assess your food choices, keep count of calories consumed in a day, and ensure that your diet is balanced. Eating according to your body needs will improve your mental and physical health, so you can prevent episodes that trigger emotional eating.
4. Drink water/chew gum
Untimely hunger pangs are commonplace if you have a hectic routine and there’s always a lot on your mind. However, if you are aware of your tendency to stress-eat, you should understand that you not actually hungry. It is possible that you are just dehydrated or need something to munch on out of habit. Try drinking a glass or two of plain water; if the false hunger does not subside, pop a piece of sugar-free gum. Keep chewing on the gum for 20-30 minutes, and the craving will disappear on its own. In the meantime, continue with work or usual activities to keep the mind occupied.
5. Entertain yourself
If you are sad because of something or someone, you need a distraction rather than food. Replace binge-eating with binge-watching to heal an aching heart. Watching a tragic movie can help you embrace your feelings better, so you may cry and let it all out. An alternative is to settle for light or dark comedy (whether you prefer) to kill the melancholy mood. You can also read a good book, go shopping, or engage in an activity that makes you happy (except eating obviously).
6. Phone a Friend
The purpose of emotional eating is to eat your feelings, so in order to stop it one has to find a way to release the negative emotions. The best way to calm down raging emotions is to share your suffering with a loved one. Reach out to a friend and disclose your frustrations to them; catharsis will lift the burden upon your mind and soul, so you’ll feel lighter and free. It is vital to have a support system, i.e. friends and family who can console or motivate you while you’re emotionally devastated. When you surround yourself with people who care, the world doesn’t seem like a bad place and you don’t have to depend on food to feel better.
7. Get rid of the temptations
It is a lot harder to stop emotional eating if you are constantly surrounded by tasteful snacks. Processed foods rich in fat and carbs tend to be irresistible when a person is emotionally upset. A shift towards fresh and organic foods can help alleviate the issue. Fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are nutritious, composed of fewer calories, and essentially labeled as ‘filling foods’ due to their high fiber content. Decent food choices prevent weight gain and related health issues; also, you shall be able to develop self-control and resist the longing to binge-eat.
8. Exercise or Meditate
Since emotional eating has nothing to do with real hunger, you already possess the energy to be productive. Work out a sweat to burn the negative energy in you and get rid of intrusive thoughts. You can also eradicate the urge to stress eat by acquiring mindfulness. Practice yoga or meditate to achieve peace of mind and chase away those emotions that bring you down. If you are primarily stressed out by work, take a break and go for a walk to clear your mind.
9. Join a support group
If you don’t have anyone to talk to and relate to your psychological issues, reach out and communicate with people dealing with the same struggles. Look for a support group where everyone can openly share their grievances and obtain valuable advice from one another. It helps to know that you are not the only one trying to cope with intense emotions.
10. See a Therapist
If you are uncomfortable confessing your feelings in front of a group of strangers, you may seek help from a mental health professional instead. Therapists are trained to interact with emotionally disturbed individuals and help them conquer their troubles. In addition, anything you tell the therapist is confidential, so you don’t need to worry about a third party learning of your insecurities. Once you are equipped with the right means to deal with strongly unpleasant feelings, emotional eating will become the least of your concerns.