What are the signs that I am eating emotionally?
It is common in today's society to turn to food for comfort when we are feeling stressed, sad, angry, or bored. If we don't recognize and manage this phenomenon, emotional eating can have a significant impact on our health. This article will explore the significance of emotional eating and how to identify it. We'll also provide examples from real life and give tips on managing it.
It is important to recognize emotional eating
Many people turn to emotional eating as a way of coping with difficult or stressful emotions. It may temporarily relieve the emotions, but it does not address their root causes and can lead to unhealthful eating habits or weight gain. The American Psychological Association states that emotional eating may contribute to obesity. This can increase the risk for heart disease, diabetes type 2, and cancer.
Get Started with Tips to Recognize Emotional eating
It can be difficult to recognize emotional eating, as this habit is often ingrained over time. Start by paying attention to how you eat. You may notice that you tend to overeat when stressed out, angry, or bored. Harvard Health recommends keeping a food journal where you record what you eat and when, as well as how you feel at that time. You'll begin to notice patterns in emotional eating over time.
Example of Emotional eating
- A large amount of food consumed when not hungry.
- You feel like you have no control over what or how much you eat.
- Avoiding stressful situations by eating.
- You can eat to calm your emotions, comfort yourself or relieve stress.
- After eating, you may feel guilty, regretful or ashamed.
- When you are upset, it's common to crave specific foods. For example, wanting ice-cream after a long day.
- You eat alone, because you are embarrassed by how much food you eat.
- Continue to eat after being full.
More Tips and Suggestions
You can manage emotional eating once you recognize it. You can also find other ways to satisfy your emotions, like taking up a new hobby or exercising.
Conclusion
It is important to recognize when emotional eating occurs in order to maintain a healthy relationship. Understanding the patterns and triggers of emotional eating will help you develop better coping strategies and more conscious choices when it comes to what and how to eat. It's important to remember that it is not about cutting certain foods out or dieting, but about listening to the body and responding in a healthy manner to its needs.
.