5 Ways to Overcome Emotional Eating

Using food to improve your feelings is emotional eating.  Think of when you turn to a pint of ice cream, a large pizza, or some other food indulgence after a rough day. We call it stress eating as well, as we’re using food to satisfy emotional needs rather than simple physical hunger.

We’ve all dealt with emotional eating at some point in our lives–some of us more often than others–so it’s time to ditch the guilt and figure out the underlying reasons for this behavior.

But… let’s not confuse treating yourself every once in a while with emotional eating.  The former is normal; the latter might be a hint to a deeper issue. Using food to quell unhappy feelings or to fill a void—that creates a problem!  Eating that guilty pleasure may cause a momentary sense of relief, but it always results in more negative than positive emotions. The guilt and shame convey us into a downward spiral, which can turn into more emotional eating.

If this has been happening to you often, it’s time to dig a little deeper and find new tools to overcome that emotional eating habit.

Here are some ways to create new wellness patterns without the guilt that emotional eating might engender:

1. Feel your feelings

Staying with and working through your feelings, no matter how uncomfortable, is essential if you really want to overcome emotional eating. It’s okay to feel your feelings and embrace them instead of making a decision to avoid them and use food to placate them. The sooner you acknowledge those feelings, the sooner you can accept and move beyond them. Write about them in a journal or share with a trusted friend, loved one, or healthcare professional, and then you can release them permanently. Reserve your tasty treats for your chosen special days, not for when your emotions are driving you to them!

2. Savor the moment

Seek out the light-hearted and happy moments in your life.  What brings you joy in this moment?  A brilliant blue sky contrasting with the fresh green grass and leaves in spring?   The warmth of the sun on your face?  A relaxing bubble bath?  Savor these special times.  Do the same with your food; eat mindfully, fully aware of all of your senses as you make the most of your meal. Enjoy that slice of veggie pizza, but take each bite thoughtfully as you genuinely eat for enjoyment and not to deaden your feelings.

3. Don’t eat unless you’re hungry

Be very sure that you’re truly hungry before you eat. If you aren’t sure, have a glass of water first. Wait 10 minutes after drinking it, and if you still feel hungry, that’s the perfect time to reach for a bite to eat. If you practice healthy eating 80 percent of the time, when you mindfully and moderately indulge, it will have less of an impact. Balance is everything!  That’s my life mantra, and I try to live by it daily.

4. Know your triggers

Keeping a journal will help you see what triggers your emotional eating. Patterns of behavior will become more apparent and you’ll begin to recognize when you’re headed in the wrong direction. When you identify what makes you head for the fridge or the pantry, then you can devise a strategy to stop those triggers in their tracks.

5. Keep your health within your control

Stock your fridge with delicious yet nutritious foods so that the temptation to go wild on foods that are less beneficial for you is diminished. Carrot sticks with hummus, plain yogurt with added berries, or a handful of nuts or some fruit, are all satisfying snacks that take little to no effort to prepare. Here, as in so many areas of life, preparation is key.  As you add in foods that won’t lead you down an emotional eating rabbit trail, you inadvertently crowd out the foods that will cause you to stumble when you’re emotionally vulnerable.  When you make healthier choices all around, it’s easier to control your emotional eating.

What are your strategies for staying on top of emotional eating? 

P.S. If you haven’t yet, join us in the Fab and Fit, Healthy and Happy Facebook group, now’s a great time to hop over and enjoy all the discussions we have about food, fitness, nutrition and wellness.  Or if you’ve been thinking about working with a health coach, let me know in the comments below or email me at alisonhector@gmail.com.