Emotional Eating – What is it and how can I get a handle on it?

Picture this: You hit the snooze button one too many times, had a last minute project thrown at you at work, and then sat in an hour of evening traffic.
 
Finally home, you breathe a sigh of relief, head into the kitchen, and decide you deserve a snack after the day you’ve had. Maybe you reach for a few crackers, then a bit of chocolate.
 
Before you know it, you’ve munched your way through the entire kitchen without eating a proper meal. You’re stuffed, ashamed, and wondering what the heck just happened - WTH?!
 
Sound familiar?
 
It’s called emotional eating, and in a nutshell, it is eating for any other reason besides actual physical hunger, fuel or nourishment.

3 Trademarks of Emotional Eating

• Binging - usually on high-sugar and carbohydrate-rich comfort foods (i.e. junk food). How many people do you know who reach for avocado and apples when they’re upset?

 

• Mindlessly eating – you’re not aware of what or how much you’re eating or how those foods are making your body feel

 

• Eating to numb, soothe, please, relax, or reward self, i.e. “I had a bad day and deserve it” kind of thinking. Eating during these times provides temporary relief, but often leaves you feeling worse than where you started!

Several years ago when I was contemplating divorce, I once ate a whole box of Nutty Bars while sitting my bedroom.  I hid the empty box in there, which I found a few months later when I was packing my things once I finally decided to leave.  
 
 
The trouble with emotional eating is it overrides your body’s natural hunger cycle and can promote things like:

• weight gain
• an increase in your risk for inflammation and chronic disease
• create an unhealthy relationship between you and food
• lead to more danger types of disordered eating

What Triggers Emotional Eating?Even though it’s called “emotional eating” because people often reach for food to cope with their feelings, there are a lot of other non-hunger reasons that can prompt you to eat.
 
Some common non-hunger reasons include: 

• Uncomfortable emotions, like anger, guilt, fear, and sadness
• Stress
• Boredom
• Need to feel pleasure and/or comfort

Six (6) Tips to Help You Get a Handle on Emotional Eating...for good!If any of those scenarios sound familiar, know that you’re not alone! Emotional eating affects a lot of people at one point or another.
 
Want to know what you can do to stop emotional eating in its tracks? Here are 6 great tips!
 
1. Have a non-food outlet to process uncomfortable feelings

• Try journaling, exercising, or talking to a trusted friend or counselor

 
2. Manage stress

• Exercise, meditation, deep breathing, getting enough sleep, and not taking on more than you can realistically handle can help decrease stress levels.

 
3. Recognize boredom

• Call a friend, take a walk, pick up a book, or tackle a DIY project or hobby you’ll enjoy when you know boredom is likely to strike.

 
4. Practice self-care

• Pamper yourself with a bubble bath, manicure, or curl up with a good book - whatever makes you feel good!

 
5. Practice mindful eating

• Avoid distractions at meals. Your focus should be on the food in front of you.
• Eat slowly, chew, and savor each bite. This helps give your body time to receive the signal from your brain when it’s full.
• Stop eating when you feel full.

 
6. Eat a balanced diet

• The majority of your diet should be nutrient-dense whole foods.
• Allow for occasional treats and indulgences so you don’t feel deprived.
• Include protein, fiber, and healthy fat at each meal to promote satiety.

If you would like more emotional eating resources, click here to message me and I will get them to you! 
 
This recipe for energy balls feel like an indulgent snack, but are made from whole food ingredients and contain a bit of protein, healthy fat, and fiber to keep you fuller longer.

Click Here for the Energy Balls Recipe

REFERENCES:
Study: Current Diabetes Reports, 2018 -- Causes of Emotional Eating and Matched Treatment of Obesity
Study: Journal of Health Psychology, 2015 -- Boredom proneness and emotion regulation predict emotional eating
Healthline: Mindful Eating 101 - A Beginner's Guide