preview

Emotional Eating Signs

Decent Essays

Signs You May Be Emotionally Eating

There are many different ways in which we emotionally eat. There's the obvious cliché of sitting down with a pint of ice cream after a breakup and polishing it off, but there are other, more subtle ways we eat more due to our emotions. Basically, if you ever eat when you are not hungry, there's a strong likelihood that you are eating because you are subconsciously trying to deal with some kind of emotion. Boredom is a prime example of this: how often do you get snacky when you spend the afternoon zoned out in front of the TV? Our brains crave stimulation, and television is actually a pretty poor stimulator because our bodies are not involved in any way. We bring our bodies in to the mix by grabbing some …show more content…

We often give ourselves excuses to cheat on our healthy eating style when we're in a time of duress. If you find yourself turning more often to mac and cheese when the boss yelled at you that day or to a cookie or brownie as a "treat" for surviving a rough meeting, you're probably letting your emotions dictate your …show more content…

We tend to go for foods that are higher in sugars, salts, and fats when we are eating to ease our emotions, and these are the exact types of food we want to avoid when we are trying to get to a healthier body state. It's time to snap out of it! You don't need all of those extra calories, and nobody needs love handles.

Figure It Out

The best way to curb emotional eating is to figure out exactly what is causing you to turn to food and fight that specific cause. If you're eating out of boredom, get up and do something that excites you instead of watching another rerun. If stress has you sneaking sweets, consider taking some time for yourself to help you unwind. If it's sadness, seek out other people to talk to about your pain-true friends will gladly lend a shoulder and an ear when you need a good cry, and great therapists are available for deeper traumas.

Stop It

With any of the causes of emotional eating, exercise is a good solution to boost your helpful hormones and increase your brain's stimulation. Drink a glass of water, do a few squats, and see if you are still hungry before you eat. Be mindful of what you put in your body and when. It doesn't hurt to schedule meals if you're going through a particularly rough spot.

Article Source:

Get Access