Emotional Overeating

Emotional eating is one of those diet killers that sometimes feels impossible to deal with. We put all our feelings and energy into our food, thinking it’s going to make us feel good. So emotional eating is when the desire to eat is being driven by a feeling or an emotion rather than being driven by physiological hunger. The problem with this type of eating is that it is a short-term solution – as soon as we finish eating the underlying emotion is still there.

What Is Emotional Overeating?

Learn how emotional eating can influence your weight, and what strategies can help manage it.

 

Controlling Overeating

 

Ending the cycle of emotional eating

First identify the emotion that is driving that desire to overeat. This is going to be different for everyone, it could be stress, it could be anger. But whatever the emotion is it is creating the desire to eat. Once you have worked out emotional needs causing overeating, then replace the bad habits with good ones.

 

• Tracking your food intake, regardless of whether you’re feeling like you’re on the verge of a binge or not, can keep you on the right path.
• Find someone you can trust, and when you’re about to overeat, call them for a chat instead.
• Instead of mindlessly eating chips or whatever food you binge on – get moving. If some exercise is not in your plan, run some errands or go shopping instead. Find something to get your mind off your struggle and get your body moving.