Emotional Eating is eating in response to feelings other than hunger. Most of us, at times, eat when we are not hungry. Having a favorite dessert at the end of a large meal, celebrating a special occasion with food, or consuming a box of chocolates after an emotional event are common situations when we may eat for reasons other than hunger. Emotional eating can be a problem if it becomes routine and leads to constant overeating. This can contribute to overweight and obesity and a variety of health problems as well as poor self-esteem.
| If you are an emotional eater, you can take steps to regain control of your eating behaviors and get back on track with reaching weight-loss and health goals. |
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Are you an emotional eater? If you eat when you are anxious, bored, lonely or depressed, you may be an emotional eater. You can raise your awareness of emotional triggers that lead you to eat by keeping a food record (see daily food log). Write down everything you eat, when you eat, where you eat and why you eat. Once you identify eating patterns that are linked to emotions, you can begin to change them.
| When people eat to soothe negative feelings or emotions they often turn to “comfort foods”.These are foods such as macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes, cookies, cakes, pies, or salty snacks like chips. Notice these foods are loaded with calories, fat, salt and sugar! |
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How do we distinguish between true, physical hunger and emotional hunger?
- Physical Hunger
- Physical hunger comes on gradually and gives you indications that it’s time to eat – first your stomach gurgles then it rumbles.
- A variety of foods sound good, not just one specific item.
- It is body-based and out of physical need. You feel symptoms like a gnawing stomach, or light-headedness.
- Emotional Hunger
- Emotional hunger comes on suddenly – you aren’t even thinking about food one minute, and the next you’re famished –you may have an urgent feeling that you need to eat immediately.
- It has an emotional basis and comes from your mind. It is usually a craving for a specific food, not just food in general. For example, you might crave a cheeseburger and nothing else will satisfy you.
- It is accompanied by emotional discomfort like anxiety, anger, sadness, or stress. Emotional eating involves automatic hand-to-mouth eating. Consuming an entire bag of chips without realizing it is an example.
| Emotional eating is your emotional desire for food while true, physical hunger is your body’s need for food and nourishment.Emotional eating is a state of mind whereas hunger is a state of body. A clear mind and relaxed body enable you to distinguish between your emotions and hunger. |
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How to reduce emotional eating
Before you take a bite of food, STOP, close your eyes, take a few deep breaths and ask these questions: (keep track of this information in your food record/journal)
- Am I really hungry?
- Am I thirsty?
- Is my stomach growling?
- When did I eat last?
- What am I feeling?
If you answered NO to being hungry—step away from the food you are thinking about eating and congratulate yourself for recognizing that you are not really hungry. Then focus on an alternative behavior. Consider these options.
- Sip on a cool glass of water flavored with a twist of lemon or lime, or a calorie-free beverage or cup of soothing herbal tea
- Journal your thoughts and feelings
- Do a physical activity like walking, bicycling, stretching, yoga, lifting weights, gardening, or dancing
- Get involved with a favorite hobby – scrapbooking, knitting, reading, or painting.
- Make a reminder list of five favorite “other things to do” when you feel the urge to eat for emotional reasons. Hang your list up in the kitchen and other places you are likely to eat.
- Practice simple breathing/relaxation exercises such as this one :
- Sit in chair with a supportive back, and place your feet flat on the floor
- Close your eyes and, to the count of four, take a full deep breath in through your nose, hold to the count of two. Then slowly exhale, to the count of six, blowing all the air out through your mouth.
- Repeat three or four times
When you are truly, physically hungry, and it is time to sit down for a meal, a technique called Mindful Eating can help to prevent overeating. Mindfulness requires slowing down and becoming completely focused on the moment. The first step in practicing mindfulness is breathing. Relaxed breathing is calming, both physically and mentally and allows you to become more present and in tune with your body. The simple breathing technique described above is a good way to slow down and enter a mindful state.
At the start of a meal, do a few minutes of simple conscious breathingUse all your senses to become more aware of the many aspects of the foods you are about to eat. Focus on:- Sight (appearance of food - notice the different shapes, colors, textures)
- Smell (enjoy the aroma of the food, breath it in – to enhance your sense of taste)
- Sound (listen to the sound the food makes as you chew)
- Touch (notice the sensations in your mouth such as temperature and textures, is the food smooth or crunchy? Warm or cool?)
- Taste (flavor is the most powerful information we get from eating, notice the different flavors and how they blend – are they bold or subtle, salty, sweet, bitter or sour, smoky, minty, or spicy…)
Create a pleasant, peaceful and calm setting for eating. Use candles, play relaxing music, and set the table esthetically using place settings and china.| Mindful eating means paying attention to physical hunger and all of your senses as you eat. It results in feelings of both physical and emotional satisfaction at the end of an eating experience. |
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Additional websites:
- http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/weight-loss/MH00025
- http://www.medicinenet.com/emotional_eating/article.htm
- http://www.webmd.com/diet/emotional-eating
- http://www.mindfuleating.org/
- http://www.brighamandwomens.org/healtheweightforwomen/special_topics/intelihealth0405.aspx
- http://www.arkansaseatright.org/mindfuleating
- http://www.amihungry.com/mindful-eating.shtml
