Emotional Eating
When you are upset or bored, do you end up looking for food in the pantry and refrigerator? You’re not alone. It’s common for people to turn to food for comfort as a way to cope with big, difficult feelings.
When you eat in response to emotions, it’s called emotional eating.
Although it may feel like a way to cope in those moments, eating doesn’t address the true issue. If you’re feeling stressed, anxious, bored, lonely, sad, or tired, food won’t fix those feelings.
Emotional hunger vs. Physical hunger
You may wonder how to tell the difference between emotional and physical hunger cues. It can be tricky.
If you haven’t eaten for several hours, or generally don’t eat enough in a day, you are more likely to experience emotional eating.
- Physical Hunger – Develops slowly over time; Feel the sensation of fullness and take it as a cue to stop eating; Tied to the last time you ate
- Emotional Hunger – Comes on suddenly; Do not notice fullness or it does not prevent you from wanting to eat more; Triggered by the need for comfort or soothing
How to know if you’re an emotional eater
People who experience emotional eating may feel:
- out of control around certain foods
- an urge to eat when they feel powerful emotions
- an urge to eat even when they are not physically hungry
- like food calms or rewards them
How to stop emotional eating
It can be hard to change a habit like emotional eating, but it is possible. Below are some ways to help you cope.
Start an emotion diary
Make a note of:
- what was happening
- how you were feeling
- any emotions you noticed when you got the urge to eat
This takes a lot of practice. Be kind to yourself as you start to explore. It doesn’t have to be perfect.
Find other ways to cope
Get enough to eat
Notice your appetite
Schedule your meals and snacks at about the same time each day
Try mindfulness
Mindful eating is a way of eating that relies on internal cues to make decisions about food. Mindful eating is an effective way to improve your relationship with food and is associated with psychological well-being.
Move your body
Seek support
Banish distractions
Work on positive self-talk
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Emotional Eating
When you are upset or bored, do you end up looking for food in the pantry and refrigerator? You’re not alone. It’s common for people to turn to food for comfort as a way to cope with big, difficult feelings.
When you eat in response to emotions, it’s called emotional eating.
Although it may feel like a way to cope in those moments, eating doesn’t address the true issue. If you’re feeling stressed, anxious, bored, lonely, sad, or tired, food won’t fix those feelings.
Emotional hunger vs. Physical hunger
You may wonder how to tell the difference between emotional and physical hunger cues. It can be tricky.
If you haven’t eaten for several hours, or generally don’t eat enough in a day, you are more likely to experience emotional eating.
- Physical Hunger – Develops slowly over time; Feel the sensation of fullness and take it as a cue to stop eating; Tied to the last time you ate
- Emotional Hunger – Comes on suddenly; Do not notice fullness or it does not prevent you from wanting to eat more; Triggered by the need for comfort or soothing
How to know if you’re an emotional eater
People who experience emotional eating may feel:
- out of control around certain foods
- an urge to eat when they feel powerful emotions
- an urge to eat even when they are not physically hungry
- like food calms or rewards them
How to stop emotional eating
It can be hard to change a habit like emotional eating, but it is possible. Below are some ways to help you cope.
Start an emotion diary
Make a note of:
- what was happening
- how you were feeling
- any emotions you noticed when you got the urge to eat
This takes a lot of practice. Be kind to yourself as you start to explore. It doesn’t have to be perfect.
Find other ways to cope
Get enough to eat
Notice your appetite
Schedule your meals and snacks at about the same time each day
Try mindfulness
Mindful eating is a way of eating that relies on internal cues to make decisions about food. Mindful eating is an effective way to improve your relationship with food and is associated with psychological well-being.
Move your body
Seek support
Banish distractions
Work on positive self-talk
Please Share
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
