Are you familiar with the term “emotional eating?” For many people, food is the solace of choice when they’re feeling sad, upset, anxious or stressed out. In these cases, emotional challenges trigger one to “self-soothe” with food─often with items high in sugar, salt and fat. If you turn to food to cope in times of distress, which might also be described as stuffing down your feelings, you’re engaging in emotional eating.
Emotional eating is unhealthy for many reasons. It’s really a form of self-sabotage, especially for those looking to reach and maintain a trim, fit body. Not only does this behavior pattern promote weight gain, it also compounds rather than solves the problems at hand, since extra pounds can negatively impact your self-esteem and overall well-being. Eating when distressed can become a habit that prevents you from learning skills to effectively resolve whatever it was that caused the distress in the first place.
If you struggle with this issue, don’t despair. You can break the negative cycle. The trick is to identify the triggers that propel you towards emotional eating, and develop healthier, more appropriate and healthy coping techniques. For example:
Track your intake
If you pay attention to what you consume on a daily basis, you’ll notice some patterns. Do you stay well hydrated? Do you skip meals? That’s the first step to behavior change. You can then start to incorporate a new routine that includes healthy, protein-rich meals and snacks on a regular basis. The reason this is so important is that when you’re properly nourished, you’ll be far less likely to succumb to poor food choices or excessive calorie intake, no matter what issues you’re facing.
Take stock of stress
If stress tends to take you down, you may be able to minimize it—or at least how you respond to it—for greater serenity and inner peace. That may mean making some adjustments in your life, such as re-evaluating relationships, getting better at preparing for projects and events in advance, or considering a different job if yours is a downer. It’s also important to be able to decline certain requests if you feel overwhelmed. As for stress factors you can’t control or change, developing new coping mechanisms is essential. Healthy strategies include exercise, which is a powerful stress buster, talking with loved ones, writing out your feelings, digging into a good book, taking a soothing bubble bath, or enjoying a restorative nap. You may want to explore the anti-anxiety benefits of age-old herbal remedies as well.
Address depression
If you occasionally experience the blues, you’re not alone. But overeating only makes things worse, because it’s an avoidance behavior that gets in the way of discovering what is actually troubling you, and dealing with those emotions. Try instead to seek out non-food tools to cope, such as keeping a feelings journal or venting to a trusted ally, and to lift your spirits, treat yourself to a massage, an inspiring movie or book, tea with a friend, yoga, a nature hike, meditation, or whatever most nurtures your soul. While the blues don’t last long for most people, clinical depression is another matter. If you experience ongoing despair, consider professional counseling. You deserve to be happy, and help is available.
Healing emotional eating may take time, but the way out is the way through. Own your feelings, they deserve it, they are you. If you experience setbacks, consider them mere steps along the way while focusing on what’s working, and always treating yourself with kindness and compassion. You will prevail!