How to combat emotional eating

People gain weight for a variety of reasons, but one of the most difficult to combat is emotional or stress eating. It’s a behavior that we use for coping and lifting our moods when dealing with stress or when we’re upset. While emotional eating may boost our moods, it only creates a momentary shift that is quickly replaced by shame and guilt—and a larger number on the scale. It’s no wonder that there are so many weight loss programs and diet products in the marketplace today. 

When you eat just because you’re hungry, you typically don’t feel guilty afterwards. With emotional eating, you may experience a rush that quickly fades and is replaced with negative feelings. Thankfully, there are many weight loss products in place that can help you learn how to identify those behaviors and deal with them.

Log it. Keeping a food diary is an excellent way to figure out what triggers emotional eating for you. In addition to logging every single thing you eat, including condiments and beverages, you should make a note of how hungry you feel, using a scale of 1 to 10 or something similar. Next write down what you’re feeling so that you can decide if you’re eating because you’re truly hungry or if it’s a coping mechanism or an attempt to make yourself feel better.

Acknowledge your feelings. Own up to your feelings and accept them. Know that it’s okay to not be in a good mood all the time or to feel depressed or sad. Don’t judge your emotions, just accept them and let them pass.

Find new ways to cope. When you feel stressed out or upset, instead of heading to the refrigerator, think of something else to do. Make a list of activities that you enjoy—it can be anything from going for a walk outside, hitting the gym, playing with a pet, reading a book or just calling someone close to you who is a good listener. You can also meditate, listen to music or do something nice for yourself, like get a massage. If you’re truly hungry, but worried about overeating, you may want to try some diet products that are tasty and satisfying. Once you adopt new healthier habits, you’ll be able to combat your weight gain.

image: healthland.time.com