Everybody emotionally eats at some point, some just do it more often than others and some do it for every emotion!!

Not matter what you do it for the process is still the same

Trigger – What is your trigger – is it stress from work or family, is it sadness or loneliness?
Eat – When you eat is it is the same food that you reach for each time you have an emotion?
Guilt – Once we feel guilty about eating generally we will eat again because we feel guilty!

Many people do not even realize they are eating for an emotional reason until it is too late and the plate full of food is already gone. If this sounds like you then take some time to think back over the last few days or weeks and the meals you have eaten. Think about why you have chosen the foods you did – where there emotions behind them? Once you start to recognize why you are eating it will make it much easier for you to make better choices.

When we eat we are generally feeding 1 of 3 things

Your Body – if this is the case the food is generally healthier
Your emotional body or your soul – generally the bad food
Your mind – can be either good or bad food

Let’s look at how we can slow the process down and make some changes to your emotional eating patterns

Trigger –What are you avoiding – which emotion is it?Try something else eg go for a walk, read a bookCan you afford it – if you eat this food will it put you over your calorie count for the day (remember if you want to lose weight you have to eat less calories than you are burning)
Eat –Try to eat something healthierCan you make a better version of the food you want to have (healthy homemade pizza)
Guilt –Was it worth it?Can you account for it? Can you work out the next day a little extra or can you improve your meal plan for the next day or so. Also most of the time it is actually a lot better than we make it out to be and the calories we are eating are not as much as we thought!Decide that it is ok!!
If you can tell yourself that emotional eating is ok it will help with the rebellious nature we have inside!!

Being aware that you are eating for an emotional reason really is the first step in controlling it.

You are in charge of your emotions don’t let them control you!!