April is Emotional Eating Month. Are you an emotional eater? Something good happens, let's celebrate with food! Something bad happens, let's console ourselves with food! A reason to eat can always be found.
What exactly is emotional eating? Although there is no legal or medical definition of emotional eating, it is usually considered any eating in response to a feeling rather than hunger. An event happens and one response is to eat. It is typically linked to stress, depression, anxiety or frustration. We often do not even realize that we are eating in response to an emotion.
Why do we do reach for food when we are not hungry? There are many reasons why we reach for food. The first is that some foods cause our bodies to release "feel good chemicals" into our brains. This can produce a feeling of well being or a calming effect. Because food makes us feel better, we tend to reach for it when we are stressed. In many cultures, food is a "comfort". Moms often give food to show love. We also tend to reach for food when we are bored. Cooking and eating gives us something to do.
All emotional eating is not bad though. If reaching for food is only an occasional event and it does not lead to weight gain, emotional eating can provide some comfort. However, if it happens on a regular basis and enough calories are consumed to lead to weight gain and possibly future health problems, it does become an issue.
How do you stop eating based on emotions? First, you need to figure out what is triggering you to eat. Triggers come in many forms:
· Social - you eat because people around you are eating
· Emotional - you eat in response to boredom, stress, fatigue, depression, anger, loneliness
· Situational - you eat because the opportunity is there such as seeing an advertisement for food, passing by a bakery, etc
· Thoughts - you eat because of negative self-worth or making excuses for eating such as scolding oneself for your appearance or lack of will power
· Physiological - you eat in response to physical cues such as increased hunger from skipped meals or eating to cure headaches or other pains
To help you determine why you are eating, write down what you are eating and how you are feeling every time you eat. Are you really hungry? Did something just happen which made you want to eat? Did you see someone else eating which made you reach for food?
Once you can determine what triggers you to eat, you can start finding out what you need instead of food. For example, if you are stressed, what else can you do to find relaxation without food? Try these suggestions:
- Take a walk
- Talk with a friend
- Write down your feelings in a journal
- Drink a glass of water or tea
- Play a game
- Listen to music
- Read a book
- Take a hot bad
- Find a pleasurable activity to do until the urge to eat passes
Don’t be too hard on yourself if you still reach for food. Just try to be aware of why you are doing it. Once you realize this, you can work on finding a substitution. It will become easier over time.
