Introduction: Emotional eating is a common issue faced by many women. It’s a habit of using food as a means of coping with feelings of stress, boredom, sadness, anxiety, depression or any other negative emotion. While it may provide temporary comfort, emotional eating can lead to weight gain and further negative feelings about oneself in the long run.
Here are some steps to help overcome emotional eating:
- Identify the triggers: Start by identifying what triggers your emotional eating. This could be a particular emotion, situation, feeling, or time of day. By being aware of what triggers your emotional eating, you can better understand your patterns and make changes to avoid them.
- Find alternative coping mechanisms: Once you have identified your triggers, find alternative coping mechanisms to deal with those emotions. This could be anything from exercise, meditation, talking to a friend, or engaging in a hobby. Find what works best for you and make it a habit.
- Practice mindfulness: Mindfulness is a powerful tool in overcoming emotional eating. By becoming more aware of your thoughts and feelings in the moment, you can make more conscious choices about what you eat and when you eat it.
- Plan ahead: Planning ahead can help you avoid emotional eating. This could be as simple as having healthy snacks on hand or preparing a healthy meal in advance. This will ensure you have healthy options available when you are faced with the urge to emotionally eat.
- Seek support: Overcoming emotional eating can be challenging, and seeking support can be incredibly helpful. This could be in the form of a friend, family member, therapist, or support group. Having someone to talk to and share your journey with can make a huge difference.
Conclusion: Emotional eating is a common issue faced by many, but with the right tools and support, it can be overcome. By identifying your triggers, finding alternative coping mechanisms, practicing mindfulness, planning ahead, and seeking support, you can break the cycle of emotional eating and lead a healthier, happier life.
Remember, progress takes time, and it’s important to be kind to yourself and celebrate your achievements along the way. Try not to give in to what you want in the moment, remember what you want the most.
What you can do now:
Be accountable, note the days / times in your diary where a response is triggered. What were the conditions, how were you feeling? Then think about how we can avoid or overcome those feelings.
Have something on hand to cope with the mechanism, what do you enjoy that doesn’t break the bank in terms of calories?
This should help you to develop a heat map of triggers that you can become aware of and navigate safely.
And if you need more help? – We are here for you. Get in touch.