Emotional Eating: A Prime Ingredient for Obesity. Helpful Information to Bear in Mind
Posted by: HealthyGirl / Category: Weight Loss
Sandra found her weight ballooning 60 pounds after her separation from her husband. While part of the weight gain was actually tied to the tablets she was taking, the rest appeared to be the result of what can be described as emotional eating. In recent years, bigger consideration has been focused on the trouble of emotional eating for both women and men. As a matter of fact, some experts have gone so far as to claim that most weight gain can be blamed on emotional eating. According to Women Today publication, it has been estimated that as much as 75 percent of overeating is attributed to the emotions.
For a number of people, overeating stems from worry. For example, if you find yourself consuming a whole bag of potato chips, it’s probable that worry is the source. While a lot of people comprehend that alcohol and illegal drugs are not an antidote to anxiety, they may not know that indulging in comfort food in order to combat anxiety can be risky as well.
In other cases, overeating may be the product of misery. If you feel exhausted, desperate, and have lost interest in your regular activities, you may be suffering from a depressive period. In order to deal with these uneasy feelings, people may turn to food in an effort to make more cheerful. The trouble is that the food can lead to weight gain, which can lead to additional misery.
At times, overeating may be a indication of boredom. An individual may figure that he or she has nothing better to do than eat too much. This can be particularly true when one is watching television or surfing the Internet. Rather than trying to determine a cause for the boredom, an individual may just try to “fix” it by indulging in high-fat, high-calorie food.
How do you know if you are an emotional eater? Ask yourself some important questions: Do I tend to eat when I’m worried? Nervous? Miserable? Do I find that eating lifts my mood? Am I spending more time eating than engaging in other activities I enjoy? Do my binges come after I’ve suffered distress? Am I turning to food in order to deal with the death of a loved one…a divorce…or the defeat of my favorite team? If the answers to any of these questions is “yes,” you might be overeating purely for emotional reasons.
As soon as you’ve recognized yourself as an emotional eater, you’ll need to take steps to correct your behavior. Possibly the most useful technique is amusement. In other words, if you find yourself reaching for the cookie jar, find another activity to engage in. The answer could be taking a walk, kickboxing, or dancing. Or it could be something not as much of physically demanding, such as needlepoint or crochet. The point is to get your hands…and perhaps the rest of your body…moving. In time, you might find the urge to overeat subsides as you become involved with other activities.
Another successful step you can take is to identify the triggers for your emotional eating. Do you tend to binge in mid-morning, mid-afternoon, or exact before bedtime? Are you snacking while watching television, while at the PC, or when you’re sitting in your favorite chair? By asking yourself these questions, you can discover the time of day when you overeat, as well as the location for your binging. With this information, you can learn to re-direct your behavior to less calorific pursuits.
Yet another advantageous method is to develop a support network to help you combat overeating. The members of your support team could include your spouse, children, parents, friends, or other over-eaters. You may even take into account joining a support group which specializes in helping those who engage in binge eating. If you feel the need to overeat, contact a member of your support team. Talking through your emotions could provide you with the emotional free you want, making overeating needless.
If your anxiety or depression persists, consider seeing a therapist. He or she can help you develop more successful coping mechanisms. If you find it complex to talk to friends or family about your overeating, a therapist can provide you with the talk therapy you need to conquer your problem.
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