Four Effective Ways to Stop Emotional Eating

by Ryan Rivera
(US)

Many people experience intense food cravings when they are not feeling well emotionally. They turn to eating as a way to combat their feelings of loneliness, stress, anxiety and depression. Others turn to binge eating simply because they are bored. Some people eat too much when they feel so happy about something. These eating habits are what we call as emotional eating. In some cases, emotional eating is being done unconsciously by an individual. There are also cases when a person is aware that he is into emotional eating but he does not have enough courage to stop the urge.

Emotional eating is one of the causes why people become overweight or obese. It is also the reason why many people are having difficulty sticking to their weight loss diet. Fortunately, emotional eating is something that can be prevented. The following are some of the ways to curb emotional eating:

Eat only when you are physically hungry.

Emotional eating is the habit of eating too much in between mealtimes and while the person is also currently battling with negative emotions. It also refers to the habit of eating even if your stomach is not really hungry at all. One of the ways to stop this is to be a keen observer of your own body. If you begin to sense that you are craving for something to eat especially during those times when you are emotionally down, listen to your stomach first. Look at the clock and then ask yourself if it is really your time to eat or you just need something else to pacify your emotions.

Avoid eating and watching TV at the same time.

When it is time to eat, turn off the television. You have to eat consciously. Savor each moment of your mealtime. It is when you focus on eating that you become aware of the amount of food that you are putting into your mouth. It is easier to notice that you already had enough when you concentrate on eating. But, eating in front of the TV leads to unmindful eating. In turn you will be able to eat more than you should, unconsciously.

Eat in moderation.

It is not bad at all to crave for something to eat. It is also normal for people to love eating a certain food. You just have to know the right time to eat and how much you should be eating. Remember that too much of any food could be bad. Therefore, try to keep everything in moderation.

You should also learn to moderate your cravings. Try to not give in to your desire to eat junk foods and drink unhealthy beverages. If you find it hard to resist your cravings, better opt for healthy foods such as dried nuts and fresh fruits. Grab your blender and treat yourself to a glass of fresh fruit juice. You may also drink a cup of tea instead of drinking sodas and any other carbonated beverages.

Remember that whenever you give in to emotional eating you are putting your health at risk. But, by eating healthy foods you lessen your risk of becoming obese or overweight and prevent the emergence of other diseases.

Find other ways to cope with your emotions.

When craving for foods, write a diary. Express your negative thoughts and emotions through writing. If feelings of stress, anxiety and depression start to creep in, write about it. Writing is one of the best ways to let out feelings of frustration and depression without hurting other people. When you are not feeling emotionally well, try to distract yourself by indulging in some other physical activities. Go out and start playing your favorite sports rather than stay in the kitchen and eat. You can also grab your favorite musical instrument and sing with it. Indulging in sports and music can do wonders to relieve one from stress and anxiety.

To some people, it may seem impossible to completely eradicate the habit of emotional eating. However, you can definitely do something to prevent it from recurring frequently. Follow the abovementioned tips not just to put an end to emotional eating. You need to be determined at eliminating this bad habit otherwise it will eventually spell disaster on your health and overall well-being.

About the Author:
Ryan Rivera used to suffer from panic attacks for seven years. He now advocates healthy living as the best weapon against anxiety, stress and depression. You can read more of his writings at Calm Clinic.

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