Emotional eating is turning to food for comfort or as a reward rather than for hunger. It is a common way some people try and deal with their feelings.
Are you an emotional eater?
Do you eat more when you feel stressed?
Do you eat when you’re not hungry or even after you feel full?
Do you eat to feel better about yourself or a situation?
Do you reward yourself with food?
Does food make you feel safe?
Do you feel powerless or out of control around food?
Do you feel guilty after eating too much?
If you answered YES to two or more of these questions, you may be emotionally eating.
Tips to Help Control Emotional Eating:
Assess your emotions before you eat. Ask yourself: Am I hungry right now? How am I feeling? Know the difference between physical vs. emotional hunger.
Physical Hunger
Emotional Hunger
Stomach growling, empty feeling in stomach
No physical cues (stomach is quiet)
Can be satisfied with any type of food
Have a specific craving
Time has passed since last meal
Comes on suddenly
Feel satisfied, energized after last bite
Feel regret, guilt or shame after last bite
Become aware of your emotional eating triggers. What situations, places or feelings make you reach for food? Examples include: anger, boredom, loneliness, holidays, excitement, procrastination, stress, social events, depression, anxiety, and guilt.
Find a healthy substitute to eating. Create a list of 3-5 activities you can do to avoid emotional eating. See examples below. If you know you are not hungry, decide how you are feeling and commit to doing the activities on the list. Do these for at least 20-30 minutes and see if you still want to eat.
Ways to cope without food
Call a friend
Exercise
Positive self talk
Read a book
Listen to music
Take slow, deep breaths
Go for a walk
Watch a movie
Meditation or prayer
Journal
Humor
Work on a puzzle
Play a game
Rest or sleep
Try a "food and mood" diary
Face or feel the emotion
Get out of the house
Seek counseling
Set-up your environment for success
Follow an eating schedule. Eat well-balanced meals at the same times each day to avoid getting overly hungry.
Eliminate trigger foods in the house à what you buy at the grocery store is what you will eat.
Have a plan before you enter the kitchen à do not “wander” into the kitchen.
Pre-portion snacks into snack sized bags.
Do not leave candy dishes or snacks out.
Keep healthy snacks, like fruits and vegetables, readily available.
Do not eat anywhere but the kitchen table.
Remember, it will take time to retrain your brain to no longer rely on food for comfort. You may need to try several ways in order to find the right method for you. If you have tried self-help options in the past, but you cannot control your emotional eating, you may need to consider therapy or counseling with a professional.