3 ways you can stop emotional eating today
- 2 Minutes Read
Emotional eating or eating for reasons other than physical hunger is a challenge for many people trying to lose weight. Learn three ways you can stop emotional eating today!
When I mention "emotional eating" or "cravings" during the ten week weight loss class I teach, many of my students knowingly smile and say, "That sounds like me!". Emotional eating or eating for reasons other than physical hunger is a challenge for many people trying to lose weight.
Do any of these reasons for eating sound familiar to you?
Before a person can change a behavior, they need to learn what they are already doing and why. Are you eating because you are actually hungry or alternatively, because you are anxious, sad, happy, or just plain bored? Try following these 3 steps to help prevent eater's remorse.
One way to become more aware of your current habits and eating patterns is to track. Keep notes in your MyNetDiary tracker. Are you actually hungry? If you are unsure, try the 4 D's test:
Observe your MyNetDiary tracker notes. What did you learn about yourself?
Once you have determined the reasons you are eating, then you can plan some healthier alternatives to prevent eating for emotional reasons. Write your new plan on a piece of paper for accountability.
Here are some ideas from some of my clients:
"When I come home from a busy day of work and feel like I could eat everything in the kitchen, I stop and make myself a cup of hot herbal tea and drink it slowly. I wait until I feel calmer before I tackle supper and issues at home."
"When I make supper, I chew a piece of gum to prevent me from nibbling while cooking."
"After supper, I clean up and get out of the kitchen. I started walking on the treadmill during the nightly news. I now mentally connect the TV news with my walk on the treadmill."
Plan ahead using some of these healthy alternatives to eating:
Remember, learning to recognize your emotional eating triggers is the first step. This can help you work on emotional eating so you are not sabotaging your plan for a healthy lifestyle.
Originally published: 11 March 2014
This blog was updated by Brenda Braslow, MS, RDN, LDN, CDE on September 19, 2020