What is emotional overeating?
Emotional overeating is a complex topic, but it has essential elements that are easy to recognize.
Emotional overeating is defined as disordered eating that is characterized by the compulsion to eat even if you’re full. It tends to be a response to negative emotions or thoughts. It’s also seen as a coping strategy for those who are under stress or who have suffered abuse.
Food often provides comfort for emotional eaters. But comfort is only temporary. Emotional overeating can sabotage your diet and weight loss goals. It can also negatively affect your health.
Luckily, there are some simple steps you can take today to stop emotional overeating. Try these strategies.
- Figure out your triggers. In many cases, emotional overeating is triggered by an event, thought, or feeling. If you can figure out your triggers, then it’ll be easier to take control over them. Note, the most common triggers are stress and negative emotions. Other triggers can be problems at work, fights with your family or spouse, and issues with friends. Therapy may also help you identify and deal with your triggers.
- Try to only eat when you’re hungry. Teach your body to accept food only when you’re really hungry instead of viewing it as a source of comfort. This step can be challenging but approach it by taking small steps to make dietary modifications. Learn to listen to your body and pay attention to real hunger pangs.
- Create alternative plans. For example, if you know that you overeat after a difficult meeting at work, then plan ahead and try to prevent it. Try substituting a more positive action that also brings you comfort or reduces your stress, like plan to go for a long walk or the gym after work to get rid of stress. Instead of turning to your refrigerator and ice cream after an argument, you can binge watch your favorite TV shows or call up a friend to catch up. The key is to find other ways to deal with stress and negative emotions.
- Surround yourself with people who care. One of the main reasons many people turn to emotional overeating is because they feel they don’t have a support network. If you feel alone and isolated then reach out to family, friends, and others for help. Build a strong support network around you that can help you deal with negativity and stress. Find those you can call or visit without worrying you’re intruding or upsetting them. Explain to friends or loved ones about emotional overeating so they can understand why you overeat. Discuss effective techniques that can motivate you to stick to a diet or exercise plan. They can remind you of these techniques when you need help, without being critical, to get back on track.
Emotional overeating doesn’t have to control your life. You’ll have taken the first step in achieving your health and wellness goals when you employ the steps above.