| Food is a critical, must-have source of | | | | to guilt and further over eating? Do you |
| nourishment and energy. Without food we would | | | | think about or attempt to purge excess food |
| not be able to perform our daily activities. | | | | by throwing up or using laxatives? Do you |
| Our muscles would wither, our nervous system | | | | exercise compulsively when you think you've |
| and brains would fail. Whether we like it or | | | | eaten too much? |
| not: We all need food. | | | | |
| | | | If you answered yes to any of the above, |
| What you might not know though, is that food | | | | there's a good chance you're an emotional |
| has another important role in our lives: | | | | eater and you could be endangering your |
| Comfort and entertainment. Culturally and | | | | health. |
| instinctively we prepare and serve foods to | | | | |
| comfort those who have experienced loss, to | | | | How Do I Overcome Emotional Eating? |
| celebrate joy, or to show friendship and | | | | |
| love. And that's where emotional eating can | | | | The first step is recognizing and |
| cause many problems. | | | | acknowledging you have the problem. Fixing |
| | | | the problem will take time and persistence, |
| What Is Emotional Eating? | | | | because you effectively need to train |
| | | | yourself out of bad eating habits and into |
| Emotional eating is simply the act of eating | | | | good. |
| to feel better emotionally. We, as normal | | | | |
| human beings, see food as more than just an | | | | Since emotional eating is caused by using |
| energy source for our body. We like to enjoy | | | | food as a coping strategy for emotional |
| our food, and there's nothing wrong with | | | | distress, dieting tends to just create more |
| that. Science tells us though, that some | | | | problems, because if you fail to stick to |
| foods actually promote good feelings by | | | | your eating plan you're likely to feel quite |
| causing certain "feel-good" chemical | | | | guilty. And as an emotional eater, that guilt |
| reactions in our brains. And that's when | | | | will only lead you to eat more. |
| eating can become a problem: Because some | | | | |
| people eat to "feel better"... or because | | | | So instead of trying to focus on what you're |
| they can't deal with strong emotions such as | | | | eating, or how much: You'll need to work at |
| pain, anxiety, stress, joy, or boredom. | | | | finding other ways to cope with negative |
| | | | emotions. You could try simple things like |
| Emotional eaters turn to food as a source of | | | | self talk, chewing gum, or getting busy with |
| distraction from dealing with feelings. It's | | | | work or hobbies when emotions run high and |
| often a vicious cycle though: People eat to | | | | you find yourself digging through the fridge |
| deal with their bad feelings, then feel bad | | | | even though you aren't hungry. You could also |
| for having done so, yet turn around and eat | | | | try self help tapes and books, or find a |
| again to soothe the guilty feelings caused by | | | | support buddy to call. You might also |
| the first round of emotional eating. Needless | | | | consider getting help from a Personal Coach |
| to say, emotional eating can lead to serious | | | | or Psychotherapist who deals with emotional |
| eating disorders, weight gain, obesity, and | | | | eating. |
| depression. | | | | |
| | | | Sometimes you'll need the help of a |
| How Do I Know If I'm An Emotional Eater? | | | | professional to make these changes |
| | | | |
| Do you turn to food when you're not hungry, | | | | As you work on replacing comfort food eating |
| but sad, stressed, or bored? Do you think | | | | with other habits and responses, you'll feel |
| about food constantly, to the point of | | | | much better about yourself both emotionally |
| feeling obsessed? | | | | and physically. And you'll be well on your |
| | | | way to living a much healthier, slimmer life! |
| Do you regularly try diets and fail - leading | | | | |