You're stressed. You're anxious. You're sad. Tired. And then suddenly you're STARVING. There's no time to think about eating something healthy so you grab the bag of potato chips, tub of ice cream or drive through McDonalds to just TRY and make those awful feelings go away.
I have honestly been there. There's so many reasons why emotional eating can be triggered and truly not just knowing WHAT to do but ACTUALLY taking action to change it is another story. We are emotional beings and when our bodies sense a threat it immediately triggers us to eat for survival - true fact! So its no wonder that so many of us are plagued by emotional eating.
Last week I chatted with my friend, Jenny Mire, who has a background in mental health and social work as well as a personal trainer. She gave some very helpful information and tips on dealing with emotional eating to me and my followers. Here's a recap of our discussion.
Learning how to maintain a positive mindset is important in order to reach your highest potential,
not just physically but mentally as well.
It's also important to realize that we ALL struggle with this to some degree.
So what is Emotional Eating?
Emotional Eating is eating in a way to serve your emotions,
not your hunger signals. Often this will be to fill some type of 'void' in your life.
How can you recognize when you're emotional eating vs. actual physical hunger?
Emotional Eating comes on suddenly and physical hunger is a more gradual onset.
We start off feeling a bit hungry and progress to feeling starving over time.
Why is it Important to Recognize Early Symptoms?
If we don't learn how to see the warning signs, emotional eating can turn into
self-sabotaging behaviors and an emotional downward spiral.
self-sabotaging behaviors and an emotional downward spiral.
By turning to junk foods with that lack nutritional value it can damage our gut lining
which in turn can send us into a cycle of mental health issues beyond just emotional eating.
Gut health affects the mind directly and therefore can further lead to anxiety,
depression and long term mental and physical health problems like leaky gut,
thyroid problems, mood swings, low energy, headaches and weight gain are just some of the common symptoms.
Questions to Ask Yourself If You Think You May Struggle with Emotional Eating
1. Do you continually reward yourself with food?
(ie you get a promotion, you reach a certain goal weight, you want to go out and
celebrate with food?) -- Sometimes this is perfectly normal and a fun way to recognize your success.
The problem is when it becomes your ‘go-to’ or
'continual' behavior.
2. Do you eat more when you are stressed?
3. Do you feel out of control around food?
(ie you can't just stop at 'just one' cookie or piece of cake.
You feel compelled to have more every time)
4. Fear of missing out (also known as FOMO)
(ie when specials come out like Starbuck's colorful unicorn drink.
Do you feel like you HAVE to try it? You have to know how it tastes etc in order to 'fit in' socially)?
* All of these behaviors are dangerous because they can lead to more eating after the initial episode of emotional eating.
You may assume that you already 'blew it' so you might as well keep going, for example.
If you answered YES to any of these questions the next question is HOW can we help to prevent it?
Here are some tips:
1. Pay attention to your intake
If you are prone to mindlessly 'graze' or fall into the trap of emotional eating you can use free nutritional trackers like (MFP- Myfitnesspal.com) to track your food, calories and/or macros. These apps can help you stay accountable to your goals and learn what is healthy for your body. You can also plan/allow for things you want to treat yourself with as well!
2. Identify your Stressors/Triggers
When or what situations, places or people trigger you to emotionally eat. Being aware and mindful of this is KEY to ending the cycle. Often feelings of boredom, loneliness or even peer pressure at a party can be major triggers for people.
3. Get a Support System
Find a friend, family member or online community that you can turn to when you are feeling triggered. Simply sending a text or a short phone call can help you see things more
clearly before the situation leads you down an unhealthy path.
4. Distract Yourself
Turn the table on those feelings when you first notice them coming on. Remove yourself from the temptation by doing something else, redirecting your mind.
Try something like reading a book, going for a walk, taking a hot bath or
drinking a glass of water to calm/ease your mind.
I hope these tips help you in your health journey. Remember, you are not alone if you're dealing with emotional eating. Always reach out for support or consult a health professional for guidance.
The truth is that changing this habit won't happen over night. It takes many years of perseverance but practice makes perfect. Start to become aware so you can identify early signs in order to prevent emotional eating. The goal is to find a healthy substitute/find another outlet to satisfy our needs instead of using food for comfort.
Want to get started on a comprehensive health + fitness program with support and guidance? Check out my Body Back Bootcamp to get the support and accountability you need to overcome guilt and freedom from FOOD!
© Jackie Peterson Fitness 2017. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from the author and/or owner is strictly prohibited.
IMPORTANT WARNING: I’m not a doctor, and I don’t know your personal health history. The information in my blog and in this program is only a suggestion. Please consult your physician and use your own judgment before trying any exercise or diet program.
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