Tips to Stop Emotion Triggered Eating

We’ve all been there. The bad day that culminated in the carton of ice cream. The great day that called for a celebration at a favorite restaurant. The gloomy day that brightened with a gooey grilled cheese.

But allowing our emotions to control our eating habits is a dangerous path easily slipped down. “Comfort eating is particularly problematic when it is the primary way you calm and soothe yourself,” says. Dr. Susan Albars, psychologist at the Cleveland Clinic Hospital.

Unfortunately, as emotional eaters, we are eating to feel better. But food doesn’t always have that effect. The bowl of mac and cheese didn’t fix the broken heart. The Snickers bar staved off the tension headache until later when you needed the caffeine rush of a Coke to wash down more ibuprofen.

And most folks don’t rush the salad bar when they’re struggling with difficult life circumstances.

So we get in a habit of allowing food to become a crutch, and we live in a society that cues these feelings through media and peer pressure. But the distraction–or even the comfort–of a particular food choice will leave you feeling unrelieved and possibly in an even worse state. The undesired side effects of emotion-driven food choices can lead to feelings of guilt and powerlessness.

Not to mention how those choices can wreak havoc on your weight loss goals.

Making wiser decisions, however, can promote your self-esteem and improve your mood.

Tips to Stop Eating Emotionally

Recognize Your Problem

Some cues you are an emotional eater include:

• eating when you’re not hungry
• feeling unsatisfied when done
• craving specific food
• zoning out during food prep and consumption

Like any habit, you must first admit this is a struggle for you. Then, you can take steps to address the underlying causes. Try keeping a food diary or a journal. Note how you are feeling emotionally and what you ate that day in response. This will help you see your tendencies in their true form. Then you can consider options other than food to help alleviate or embrace negative and positive feelings.

Restore Good Habits

Because eating is distracting, convenient, and entertaining, we use it when we need a mindless activity or an emotional boost. When you are tired, out of shape, or already relying on processed food to meet your nutritional needs, you are more likely to cave to emotional cravings. After all, McDonald’s is on the way home and the couch is more comfortable than the treadmill.

But if you develop good habits in these areas, you will be more likely to resist those desires.

• Get a good night’s sleep. Sleep helps reduce stress, which means your hormones are less likely to make you crave fatty, high-carb snacks.
• Engage in an exercise routine. Exercise releases endorphins that physically make you feel better so food doesn’t have to be your crutch.
• Develop a menu prep plan that uses few processed foods. By having a plan, you are more likely to follow through with good choices.

Replace Cravings

Rewarding yourself for a job well done, or having someone reward you, is always a wonderful thing. But it doesn’t have to come at the cost of your waistline.

For positive reinforcement, consider these stand-ins for the usual sweet treat.

• Take yourself to a movie (without popcorn).
• Buy an accessory or item you’ve been wanting (scarf, jewelry, book).
• Take a day off and go hiking, biking, or swimming for physical activity. Or stroll through a museum, park, or arts festival.
• Do something nice for someone else.
• Volunteer at the animal shelter, school, or soup kitchen.

For those tough days when cravings hit, try these coping strategies.

• Sip hot tea (just don’t sweeten it up with lots of sugar).
• Get a massage or reflexology session.
• Practice yoga.
• Take a slow deep breath and count to 10 before you release.
• Journal.

Remember Your Goals

Food isn’t the enemy, and it’s perfectly fine to associate grandma’s apple pie with a feeling of love and safety. However, it’s also important to recognize when you are letting your cravings control you. Weight loss is a journey, but healthy living is a lifestyle. Choosing wisely, most of the time, will keep you on the right path.

Find more great tips and tricks here.