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What causes someone to emotionally eat? -

Almost anything can trigger emotional eating. Some common triggers include stress, relationship issues, or the inability to manage one's emotions.

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Restrictive diets can also be a trigger -

People who follow restrictive diets or have a history of dieting are more likely to emotionally eat.

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An automatic behavior -

Emotional eating is often an automatic behavior. The more often that food is used to cope, the more frequent the habit.

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Is emotional eating an eating disorder? -

Emotional eating isn't an eating disorder on its own. But it can be a sign of disordered eating, which may lead to developing an eating disorder.

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You can still seek help -

You don't need to be diagnosed with an eating disorder to seek help. Everyone should strive for a healthy relationship with food.

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Why food? -

Difficult emotions may lead to a feeling of emptiness or an emotional void. Food can fill this void temporarily, as it releases dopamine, a brain chemical that makes us feel good.

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It becomes automatic -

Humans easily develop habits and routines with food. If you always eat when stressed, you might reach for food at the first sign of stress without realizing it.

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How to know if you’re an emotional eater -

People who experience emotional eating may feel out of control around certain foods and eat as a way to feel calm. They may also get an urge to eat even when they're not physically hungry. If you can relate, then you're probably an emotional eater.

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How to stop emotional eating -

It can be hard to change a habit like emotional eating, but it's not impossible.

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Get down to the root cause -

A bad day at work or a fight with your significant other are short-term issues. But emotional eating can stem from bigger issues, too. These include chronic stress, long-term anger, and depression. Ultimately, you need to identify and address the true source of your emotional eating.

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Ask why you’re eating -

Whenever you walk up to a vending machine or a pantry, ask yourself if you're really hungry. Becoming more aware of your hunger levels can help you avoid excessive snacking and ultimately make better choices.

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Start an emotion diary -

The more you understand your habits, the better. Try keeping a record of those times when you eat but are not physically hungry. Make a note of what was happening, how you were feeling, and what emotions appeared when you ate.

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Find other ways to cope -

Once you know more about what triggers you to emotionally eat, think about what you can do to manage those emotions. For example, if you feel bored, try painting or going out for a walk.

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Move your body -

Moving your body can be a powerful way to manage stress and anxiety. It's also a great way to help manage underlying emotional triggers for eating. It doesn't even have to be an intense workout.

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Schedule your meals -

Eating regularly scheduled meals and, for some, regularly scheduled snacks can prevent overeating if you stick to the schedule.

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Try mindfulness -

Mindfulness is the practice of paying attention to the moment you're in. If you find that stress, low mood, or anxiety are triggers for your eating, mindfulness practices may help.

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Get enough to eat -

Making sure you're getting enough to eat is an important habit. You may notice that you get more cravings later in the day if you haven’t eaten enough earlier. If you're often physically hungry during the day, adding more protein can help.

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Notice your appetite -

If you’ve been on and off many diets, it can be hard to tune into your hunger and fullness cues. But it's important to notice what physical hunger and fullness actually feel like.

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Hunger cues -

Being aware of physical hunger cues can help you notice when you're emotionally eating. Some signs of physical hunger include a grumbling stomach or a drop in energy levels.

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Swap for healthier snacks -

Overeating processed snacks can raise your levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Therefore, it's best to swap for healthy snacks, such as fruits and nuts.

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Choose foods that fight stress -

Another reason why you should stock up on healthy foods is because they can help with your stress and emotions. Processed junk, on the other hand, might make you feel worse. For example, green, white, and matcha tea contain an amino acid called L-theanine, which may help reduce stress levels.

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Don't let yourself get too hungry -

Getting too hungry might make you "hangry," a portmanteau of "hungry" and "angry." This can in turn lead you to eat quickly and more than necessary.

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Get rid of distractions -

Eating when you're distracted, such as when you're on your electronic devices, means that you're more likely to overeat. If possible, give food your full attention.

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Work on positive self-talk -

Positive self-talk and self-compassion are tools that can help you with emotional eating. Once you're more aware of all the negative thoughts that show up, you can start to work on changing them.

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Seek support -

You're more likely to give in to emotional eating if you lack a good support network. Lean on family and friends. There are also formal support groups available.

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Get rid of temptation -

Don't keep hard-to-resist comfort foods in your home. And if you feel down, postpone your trip to the grocery store until you're feeling better.

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Learn from setbacks -

If you have an episode of emotional eating, forgive yourself and start fresh the next day. Try to learn from the experience and make a plan for how you can prevent it going forward.

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When to seek help -

Making changes to your emotional eating can be hard. So if you feel like you're struggling, don't hesitate to seek professional help from a therapist or a nutritionist.

Sources: (Healthline) (Cleveland Clinic) (Mayo Clinic)

See also: Healthy eating habits from around the world

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