1. Emotional eating can lead to an unhealthy cycle which affects your health and weight.
2. Emotional eating can trigger feelings of guilt, shame and powerlessness.
3. Set yourself up for success by understanding and learning to manage your triggers.
Life stressors and daily hassles can trigger emotions that prompt cravings. Eating can temporarily increase energy levels and boost our mood.
However, when eating is the main way to cope with your emotions, you might get stuck in an unhealthy cycle which affects your health and weight.
What is emotional eating
Emotional eating is eating when we are sad, tired, stressed, or bored (or even happy), not because you are physically hungry.
| Emotional Eating | Physical Hunger |
|---|---|
| Comes suddenly | Comes gradually |
| Feels like it needs to be satisfied NOW | The hunger can wait |
| Specific cravings | Different foods sound good |
| Not satisfied even with a full stomach | The hunger stops when full |
| Can trigger feelings of guilt, shame, powerlessness | Satisfying physical hunger is a basic need and does not make you feel bad about yourself |
Managing emontional eating
Common triggers
You might notice that you tend to eat (more) when you experience certain emotions or are in certain situations
- Emotions: stress, boredom, sadness, anger, excitement etc, or just simply out of habit
- Situations: social gatherings, being around certain people, having snacks around, when faced with food you particularly enjoy, stressful day at work, etc
Responding to triggers
- Pause - Is it emotional or physical hunger?
- Reflect - Soothe emotions, not cravings
- Act - Carry out your alternative plans
Set up for success
- Manage Triggers: e.g. If you had a stressful day, actively engage in other activities to help you unwind
- Reducing Access: e.g. Don’t stock up your home with unhealthy snacks
- Plan Ahead: e.g. Not going to a party hungry as you are more likely to overeat
- Increasing Satiety: Focus on savouring your food. Being distracted - such as eating when doing something else at the same time - can lead you to overlook satiety cues
Ref: F26
Contributed by
Stay Healthy the Easy Way
Get trusted health advice, offers and more.
Follow HealthXchange
