Most people are well acquainted with the knowledge that overeating is unhealthy and can make you vulnerable to various complications. However, what many don’t realize is that there are often triggers that lead to overeating episodes. By understanding your triggers, you can learn how to control your eating and make better choices for your health.
This article will be looking at some of the factors that trigger emotional eating and share some tips on how you can avoid these triggers, as well as how to deal with them in a more constructive way.
What is Emotional Eating?
Emotional eating is defined as using food to make yourself feel better, rather than to satisfy hunger. This type of eating often leads to overeating, as well as feelings of guilt and shame afterward. Emotional eating is a common problem because it can be triggered by a wide variety of emotions, such as sadness, boredom, anxiety, or even happiness.
Common Triggers for Emotional Eating
Although there are many different emotions that can trigger emotional eating, there are some that are more common than others. Here are some of the most frequent triggers for emotional eating:
Stress
When you’re stressed, your body releases the hormone cortisol. This hormone has been shown to increase appetite, especially for high-fat and high-sugar foods. Stress is also a common trigger for other unhealthy habits, such as smoking and drinking alcohol.
Boredom
Another frequent trigger for emotional eating is boredom. When you’re bored, you may start to feel restless and look for something to do to pass the time. Oftentimes, people will turn to food as a form of entertainment. This can lead to overeating, even if you’re not actually hungry.
Anxiety
Like stress, anxiety can also lead to an increase in appetite. When you’re anxious, you may feel like you need to do something to calm yourself down. This may be due to the fact that anxiety can cause physical symptoms like nausea or an upset stomach. As a result, eating may seem like a way to ease these discomforting sensations.
Depression
Depression can also lead to changes in appetite and cravings for certain types of foods, especially those that are high in sugar or fat. This is likely due to the fact that depression can cause changes in brain chemistry. It makes sense, then, that foods that can have an impact on brain chemistry, such as sugar and fat, would be craved by those who are depressed.
Loneliness
We often associate certain foods with happy memories or comfort. When we’re feeling lonely, we may crave these comfort foods in order to feel better. The truth is, though, that these foods will only provide temporary relief and may actually make you feel worse in the long run.
Tips for Avoiding Emotional Eating
Once you know what your triggers are, you can start to take steps to avoid them. Here are some tips for avoiding emotional eating:
Identify your triggers
The first step is to be aware of what emotions or situations tend to trigger your emotional eating. Is it when you’re feeling stressed at work? Bored during a long car ride? Anxious about an upcoming event?
Once you know your triggers, you can start to plan ahead and begin to work on avoiding them or finding other ways to cope with them (besides food). For example, if you know you tend to overeat when you’re bored, try to have some healthy snacks on hand, such as fruits or vegetables. This way, you’ll have something to eat if you start to feel bored, but it won’t be as damaging to your health as overeating.
Find other coping mechanisms
Not all the time, but often, emotional eating is a way to cope with negative emotions. If this is the case for you, it’s important to find other coping mechanisms that are more constructive and healthier. For example, if you’re feeling stressed, instead of reaching for a pint of ice cream, try going for a walk or taking a hot bath. Or, if you’re prone to emotional eating when you’re bored, try calling a friend or taking a walk instead.
In fact, it doesn’t even have to be something that requires a lot of effort. Sometimes, just listening to music or reading a book can be enough to take your mind off of your cravings and help you avoid emotional eating.
Get rid of temptation
Another way to avoid emotional eating is to get rid of any tempting foods that you have in your house. If you know that certain foods are particularly tempting for you during an emotional eating episode, it’s best not to keep them around the house. Out of sight, out of mind!
However, if you simply cannot resist the temptation, try to portion out a small amount of the food into a bowl or plate. This way, you’ll still be able to satisfy your craving, but you won’t end up overeating.
Seek professional help
If you find that you’re struggling to control your emotional eating, it may be time to seek professional help. A therapist can help you understand your triggers and develop healthy coping mechanisms. If you think you may be struggling with an underlying mental health disorder, such as depression or anxiety, a therapist can also provide you with the necessary treatment.
Conclusion
While emotional eating is a common problem, it’s one that you can learn to control with a little bit of effort and awareness. By being aware of your triggers and finding other coping mechanisms besides food, you can avoid emotional eating episodes and make healthier choices for your body overall.
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