How To Combat Emotional and Stress Eating Habits

What do you do when you are stressed? Do you binge eat on all the snacks in your pantry? Do you skip eating all together? It is important to make true positive change you must be aware of your habits and how to combat those that limit your progress.

First answer these questions:

• Do you eat more when you’re feeling stressed?

• Do you eat when you’re not hungry or when you’re full?

• Do you eat to feel better (to calm and soothe yourself when you’re sad, mad, bored, anxious, etc.)?

• Do you reward yourself with food?

• Do you regularly eat until you’ve stuffed yourself?

• Does food make you feel safe? Do you feel like food is a friend?

• Do you feel powerless or out of control around food?

Did you find yourself answering yes often? Then you are an emotional eater. So how do you determine what is physical hunger and what is emotional hunger? First you must understand the difference been physical and emotional hunger.

• Emotional hunger is the type of hunger that comes on immediately. It is something that is abrupt, sudden and intense.

• Physical hunger is the type of hunger that comes on gradually. The need to eat does not feel intense unless you have not ate in a long time. Physical hunger is something that stops when you are full.

Now that you can determine the two types of eating we need to learn how to combat emotional eating. Here are some tips to end these habits and build healthier ones:

1. Identify the triggers-things such as stress, boredom, social influences and long term habits can trigger emotional eating and increase these sudden cravings

2. Find other things than food to fill the void you are filling. If you are stressed out, feeling sad or lonely reach out to a friend instead of reaching into the pantry to avoid a binge. If you are feeling anxious workout, take a walk, do something active to settle your nerves. If you are bored choose an activity such as watching a movie, reading a book or turning to an activity you enjoy versus heading into the kitchen.

3. Plan- Always have healthy snacks available instead of having processed foods in your cabinets. Plan your workout into your daily schedule; make it like an appointment so you won't skip it. By developing healthier habits, you can help combat emotional eating and avoid feeling negative for those quick food decisions.