Are you a victim of emotional eating, frequently experiencing a specific food craving, and nothing can substitute for that food? How often do you go to bed exhausted and sick, feeling out of control and like you are sabotaging yourself? While there might be some pros to emotional eating, the cons are usually much weightier.
From gaining weight to a constant obsession for food and so on, emotional eating is bad news for anyone experiencing it. It might start with a handful of chips, move on to a few pieces of chicken wings, and next thing you know, you are elbow deep in a pint of vanilla ice cream. If this is you, this article can help you. Read on to find out some tips to get you started.
1. Recognize your triggers
Emotional eating is what happens when you are eating to feed your feelings rather than your body. You need to Recognize what feelings are happening, what emotions, activities, events are occurring in your life when you are craving for that favorite food of yours. More importantly, the sooner you are able to identify what those triggers are, the earlier you’ll set off on a path of control.
2. Name your emotions
While you can identify the reason for eating the way you do, can you name the actual emotions? Is it a feeling of sadness, frustration, or anger? Perhaps it is caused by loneliness, boredom, or something entirely different? Basically, naming the emotions will enable you to know how to address them.
3. Keep a diary
Having a diary to help you keep track of when you are eating without being hungry compared to when you are, will help you see patterns in emotional eating. The moment you notice there are certain events that cause you to eat more often, then you’ll have a better idea what needs to be done.
4. Find alternatives to food
Another important thing that will help you stay clear emotional eating is finding an alternatives that isn’t food related. Perhaps a relaxation technique will help or a hobby that you love doing so much. Just whatever gets your mind and your hands off that tasty treat!
