Emotional overeating
In a state of stress, you overeat. When you are sad, you eat. During the anxiety period, you also eat. Why is this happening?
People usually look for salvation in food when something goes wrong. Overeating becomes a habit. Unfortunately, getting rid of this habit is not quick.
Addiction to food to meet emotional needs is of no use. You need to eat only when the body needs it on a physiological level, not on a psychological one.
Many people believe that rumbling and stomach cramps are a manifestation of hunger. That’s why they eat. However, most often the mind or emotions give a certain signal. This is because they are used to receiving a quick reward.
The process of eating should be caused by appetite, not emotions or mood.
But the problem is that it is not always possible to distinguish between physiological needs and the need to obtain some emotional satisfaction. This happens more often after eating.
The mind will always look for such a reward. When you find food, you absorb it and it doesn’t matter if you are hungry or not.
Negative emotions also cause hunger. For example, if you are sad – eat chocolate, if nervous – eat cookies. The brain also feels pleasure.
This is how a habit is formed, which is incredibly difficult to get rid of.
How to avoid emotional overeating?
Each of us has what psychologists call “comfort foods.” These are foods that you choose at certain times or under the influence of certain emotions.
For example, if you quarrel with your partner, eat chocolate. When you are anxious or sad, you eat french fries. In a state of depression, you may be attracted to ice cream and cookies.
Isn’t it strange that no one soothes themselves by eating carrots, tomatoes, or apples?
This can be explained by the fact that vegetables and fruits do not contain high levels of fat, so they can not meet the emotional needs of man.
This is the first important sign to notice to avoid overeating during emotional instability.
Tips to help overcome the habit
Determine if you are really hungry
This is the hardest thing to do. But once you determine this, the other steps will be very simple.
Be careful and you will notice that sadness forces you to eat certain foods. These are the products that at any other time during the day or a certain period of life would never have occurred to you.
Physical hunger increases gradually, but it can wait. He is satisfied with various dishes from the menu. This condition does not cause negative feelings, the only way out is to satisfy it.
On the other hand, emotional hunger is sudden and cannot be postponed. Special foods are needed to satisfy them. This condition makes you feel guilty and ashamed. In addition, such hunger cannot be satisfied.
Another way to find out if you have a real feeling of hunger or not is quantity.
If you have a physiological appetite, you will be satisfied with a smaller portion of food. If it is emotional hunger, the stomach will turn into a bottomless pit. Later, stomach cramps and even pain may occur. You will even feel nauseous or want to fall asleep for a few hours.
Determine when you eat “for fun”
Pay attention to your feelings.
For example, there is something that upsets you: a bad exam result, family disputes, trouble at work, and so on. If after each problem, you feel a craving for food, it is likely that sadness controls your stomach.
Analyze the moments when you most want to eat, maybe the need is not so important. This will help you leave the kitchen, close the fridge door, and find another way out.
Hide the temptation
This is very unusual advice, but effective in the beginning when you are trying to overcome emotional hunger.
If you go out to the kitchen to get a piece of chocolate, but all you find is orange, you have two options: eat an orange or leave the kitchen.
If you want something salty, but the first thing that happened is french fries, then what will you do? Of course, eat.
If you look in the drawer and find only delicious rice bread, you will definitely eat it. You will not get rid of the habit, but you will not eat harmful food.
Control yourself
We have already determined that it is an emotional hunger that pushes us to overeat. The next step is to focus on the other and try to take control of the situation.
You can exercise to feel happy. Or do something that gives joy. For example, watch a series of your favorite show or movie, listen to music, go for a walk.
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