6 ways to stop eating your feelings
Most individuals who suffer from being overweight or having obesity tend to be emotional eaters. These individuals tend to have an unhealthy relationship with food. Thus, instead of food being their fuel and source of energy it becomes their source of ailment. There could be several reasons why this happened.
Reason # 1: a major shift in your habits
Maybe progressing from school to college and then to work life took a negative toll on you and you were unable to sustain the healthy habits you had before. Perhaps it was moving from one country or one city to another that changed your lifestyle. It also may be getting married, moving in or moving out with someone. 57% of couples report gaining weight after the first year of marriage. Eating with someone generally make you consume more food than when eating alone.
Reason #2: a heartbreaking incident
Many individuals report having healthy weight, then a heartbreaking incident happened and led them to gain weight. It could be the loss of a loved one whether a spouse or family member, getting a divorce, or finding out that your life’s work has turned to ashes. So you start eating your feelings to escape the harsh reality.
Reason # 3: physiological reasons
Sometimes it really is not your fault. Hormonal shifts such as menopause, thyroid issues, depression can cause weight gain. In addition, when suffering from any of the mentioned many people might find themselves not losing weight when adhering to a strict diet because of this. Make sure to refer to your doctor and do the proper tests for thyroid and hormonal shifts. As for depression seeking help from a professional is essential; especially since most medications used to treat depression cause weight gain.
Reason #4: a damaged relationship with food since you were young
Unfortunately, I do see many parents pressuring their kids to be “perfect” and having the “perfect weight”. The presence of social media, Photoshop, and increasing pressure on both males and females to have the perfect body does not help either. So maybe you were one of those kids where your parents pressured you into dieting since you were young. There is a possibility that you were bullied at school or had a toxic relationship with someone who stressed you about your weight.
So the pattern is you feel bad/ stressed →you eat → you get a happiness/ satisfaction for a moment → you feel guilty because you made an unhealthy choice/ gained weight →you are sad again.
This is the vicious cycle which many people fall into and then they fall into the rabbit hole of yo-yo dieting and losing then regaining weight and fall for the latest fad diet on the market. The thing is nutrition and food is a business and not a well regulated one. In the end there are several industries relying on you being un-healthy to sell. Fat food chains, fad diet creators, miracle product designers, pharmaceutical companies all function on this cycle.
So how do you recover from such a thing? You have to acknowledge two things:
One you have to understand that this is a process and you will not find yourself getting better overnight. Two different things work for different people, this is why I will be giving several tips and you might find that some things are working for you more than others.
Technique number 1: exercise
I know I know you’ve heard this all before. BUT exercise does release your happy hormones decreasing stress and your appetite. Recent studies have showed that even when someone has excess weight they are healthier from someone with normal weight that does not exercise. Now, there are different ways to exercise, you can go to the gym. But you can also commit your weekends to cycling or hiking, take a dance class, do some awesome YOUTUBE at home. You can also just stick to making 8,000 steps per day by skipping the elevator and choosing to walk instead of taking the car. Really anything you choose helps.
My personal tip is to start slow. Many people start excited and they over commit then they burn out and quit. So start slow and stay consistent!
Technique number 2: find your triggers.
If you know you snack late at night you can commit to intermittent fasting. If you know passing through X restaurant is going to make you crave something unhealthy do not pass by it. Most importantly NEVER shop for food when you are hungry, you will make unhealthy choices and buy things you will later regret.
My personal tip: downsize your purchased portion. So, if you know you will eat the whole bar choose the smallest chocolate bar you can find. If you know you will eat the whole cookie pack when you open it but the single packs and have them instead.
Technique number 3: snack consciously.
A lot of times you get so overwhelmed all day, not eat anything and then reach a point where you are so hungry that you overeat. Try to plan your meals through the day to avoid this.
My personal tip: keep a healthy snack portion with you at all times. You can keep raw nuts, dried fruits, or banana and take that as a snack so you do not reach that level of hunger.
Technique number 4: replace overeating with another behavior
Let’s face it most times you will not be able to get rid of the source of you stress. Thus, the target is to find a healthy alternative. Some people shop or adopt another toxic habit and we do not want that. Things that can work: reading, keeping a journal, calling a friend or relying on social support, exercising, watching a movie without a snack, gaming, coloring, or adopting another hobby of your choice.
Technique number 5: drink enough water
I know this is another cliché, but our thirst sensor is near our hunger sensor and a lot of times we confuse the two. Sometimes you eat and eat and you feel you are not satisfied this means that you are thirsty.
My personal tip: on this whenever you feel hungry drink a glass of water if you still feel like this after 30 minutes, it means that you really are hungry and you should probably have your meal. Also, always have 2 glasses of water before every meal.
Technique number 6: do not go on a restrictive diet
This is mistake number one that most yo-yo dieters do. The more you restrict the more likely you are to relapse and regain the weight lost. This is why eat in moderation. Feel like having dessert? Enjoy it, but in a moderation!
My personal tip: if you are eating a very calorie dense meal eat half the portion. If it is dessert you crave eat three tablespoons of whatever you want and have your second meal be a light salad.
