That is a very good question. The first step is identifying that you are an emotional eater.
Many people turn to food for comfort, when they feel sad, anger or stressed. It is not about the food at all.
Some individuals may not realize that they are emotional eaters. Two clues: eating until you are uncomfortable and gaining weight without knowing why.
Step one in beating it is to learn to comfort yourself in other ways. Do not beat yourself up over it. Pay attention to the thoughts and feelings you have before you eat. Being more aware of your inner experiences will lead you to can choose better coping mechanisms.
Step two is to focus on your emotions and not on eating. Make a list of what causes you stress. Make a plan to take control of the situation. Change the situation if you can. If you cannot change the problem, you can manage the way you think about it.
Step three is to pause with a delay between the urge to eat and actually eating. This gives you time to check in with how you're feeling and why you want to eat.
When you’re tempted to snack for emotional reasons, try moving instead. A quick burst of activity refreshes you, and moving is a proven stress-buster.
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Hello Anonymous,
That is a very good question. The first step is identifying that you are an emotional eater.
Many people turn to food for comfort, when they feel sad, anger or stressed. It is not about the food at all.
Some individuals may not realize that they are emotional eaters. Two clues: eating until you are uncomfortable and gaining weight without knowing why.
Step one in beating it is to learn to comfort yourself in other ways. Do not beat yourself up over it. Pay attention to the thoughts and feelings you have before you eat. Being more aware of your inner experiences will lead you to can choose better coping mechanisms.
Step two is to focus on your emotions and not on eating. Make a list of what causes you stress. Make a plan to take control of the situation. Change the situation if you can. If you cannot change the problem, you can manage the way you think about it.
Step three is to pause with a delay between the urge to eat and actually eating. This gives you time to check in with how you're feeling and why you want to eat.
When you’re tempted to snack for emotional reasons, try moving instead. A quick burst of activity refreshes you, and moving is a proven stress-buster.
Hope this offers some help.
Maryann
February 3, 2015 - 9:55amThis Comment
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