When we experience strong feelings, it`s human nature to rely on things beyond ourselves to help us deal. These outlets can be constructive, like working out or writing, or destructive, like getting drunk and drugs. For some sufferers, food is the outlet they rely on when feeling out of control emotionally. Emotional eating is a way to suppress upsetting feelings for many sufferers.
For some people, emotional eating only means eating a little mac and cheese after a hard day at work. For lots, however, this is a dangerous addiction that can lead to obesity and health troubles. Many comfort foods are full of calories, sugar, and sodium, which all can lead to health problems when devoured in excessive amounts.
There are plenty of things that can trigger emotional eating. Important life incidences, or even daily hassles can push emotional eaters to the fast food drive thru. For many, eating can also be a way of relief from boredom. There is a chemical explanation to emotional eating additionally. Many common comfort foods discharge chemicals or hormones that elevate your feelings, so they can be chemically as well as psychologically soothing.
Emotional eating is a difficult habit to break. However, there are a few tips to help quit this dangerous tendency. It`s vital to understand how to tell the difference between real hunger and an emotionally motivated desire to eat. If you know that you aren`t actually hungry, give it some time to see if the urge disappears. Emotional cravings differ(s) from physical cravings in a few ways. It comes on quickly, while actual hunger is gradual. Actual hunger is a universal sensation of emptiness, while emotional hunger will make you crave something specific. Emotional eating is also more likely to make you feel shame afterwards.
Don`t keep comfort foods around, because it`s much easier to fight those urges when inducement isn`t easy to access. Try to swap fattening comfort foods with healthier alternatives. Make a inventory of activities you can do to distract yourself when emotional eating strikes, such as go for a jog, take a brief nap, or read a magazine. Finally, seeking the help of a counselor to address the underlying motivations for emotional eating can be very useful.
Entries (RSS)