Break the Binds of Emotional Eating

By: Jennifer Nicole Lee

We have all been there. Emotional eating hit me deep as a little child growing up, I witnessed first hand the emotional binds and the other women in my family suffered from. Unknowingly, she passed those binds of emotional eating onto her children. I too have been a victim of my own doing, seeking instant gratification and comfort from the harsh cold realities of the world in food. I am proud to say that with these tools, tips and techniques in this following article, I have been able to recondition, heal myself and release myself from the binds of emotional eating and you are not alone! Famous women from Oprah Winfrey to Princess Diana have suffered from the #1 cause of weight gain, unhealthy self-confidence issues and unbalanced lifestyle. I hope that these tactics that you find in this e-book will help you regain control of your eating habits and get back on track.

May it empower you, enlighten you and help you achieve your fitness goals.

From my heart to yours,

Smile and Be Well,

JNL

Sometimes the strongest longings for food happen when you're at your weakest

point emotionally. Many people turn to food for comfort — consciously or

unconsciously — when they're facing a difficult problem or looking to keep

themselves occupied.

Did you know that Emotional Eating is actually a clinical disease?

It can be defined as the practice of consuming large quantities of food -usually

"comfort" or junk foods - in response to feelings instead of hunger. Many of us

learn that food can bring comfort, at least in the short-term. Experts estimate that

85% of overeating is caused by emotions. As a result, we often turn to food to

heal emotional problems. Eating becomes a habit preventing us from learning

skills that can effectively resolve our emotional distress. Emotional eating can

sabotage your weight-loss efforts but you can regain control of your eating

habits.

While there are many reasons for emotional eating, and it’s very common in our

society, it’s not necessarily good for you, especially if you are trying to lose

weight. If you’re an emotional eater, it’s important for you to be aware of this,

keep an eye on your triggers, and develop some effective stress management

techniques and coping skills so that your body stays healthy and you choose

your diet, rather than feeling out of control.

It’s Not Your Fault!

Did you know that victims of emotional eating are typically graced with

intelligence and talent?

You’re no dummy and neither are the majority of the people who suffer with

Emotional Eating! Because they become so engaged with the eating disorder,

they often bypass opportunities to take the necessary steps required to fulfill their

dreams and succeed in life. Over eating often becomes a way to squelch shame

and disappointments in life. Many use food in an unsuccessful attempt to meet

deep emotional needs but you must (and probably have already) recognized the

fact that there are many more satisfying ways of meeting emotional needs.

Often, emotional eating leads to eating too much food, especially high-calorie,

sweet, salty and fatty foods. The good news is that if you're prone to emotional

eating, you can take steps to regain control of your eating habits and get back on

track with your weight-loss goals.

Major life events — such as unemployment, health problems and divorce — and

daily life hassles — such as a stressful work commute, bad weather and changes

in your normal routine — can trigger emotions that lead to overeating. But why do

negative emotions lead to overeating?

Is Food Addictive?

Food can also be a distraction. If you're worried about an upcoming event or

rethinking an earlier conflict, eating comfort foods may distract you. But the

distraction is only temporary. While you're eating, your thoughts focus on the

pleasant taste of your comfort food. Unfortunately, when you're done overeating,

your attention returns to your worries, and you may now bear the additional

burden of guilt about overeating.

While there is no concrete proof that any given food is truly "addictive" in the

clinical sense of the word, that doesn't mean some foods may not have addictive

qualities. A 2003 book by nutrition researcher, Dr. Neal Barnard, called Breaking

the Food Seduction suggested a number of foods such as cheese, chocolate and

sugar may actually "trick" our brain into desiring it. For example, Dr. Barnard

suggested a substance in cheese, called casein acted like an opiate and could

actually cause a biochemical reaction that make us want to eat it. Whether foods

are truly addictive or not, there is no denying that food can affect the way we feel.

Consider the way that chocolate brings that "high" similar to being in love. When

you eat it, your body releases chemicals that raise your mood and bring on a

feeling of satisfaction and well-being. What results is a vicious cycle. The

chocolate helps "cure" your blues and whether you realize it or not, your body

says, "Oh, so that's how we fix this!" leaving you pining for the food that brought

on those good feelings the next time around. So... chances are, next time you're

feeling down, you'll automatically reach for that candy bar. For those of us that

would rather be in denial than deal with our issues, food is a worthy scapegoat.

Any unpleasant task can be avoided -- or at least, put off for a while -- if you busy

yourself with making and eating a snack instead. A sense of boredom ... or

loneliness ... can be quelled by a special treat. Eating distracts you from doing

that unfavorable task, or, worse, from focusing on why you're really feeling so

bad.

Ways to Identify Eating Triggers

Although emotional eating is strongly linked to depression, boredom, loneliness,

chronic anger, anxiety, frustration, stress, problems with interpersonal

relationships and poor self-esteem, it can be reversed with positive thought and

action. Just like with any illness, the first step of curing the problem is

acknowledgement. Situations and emotions that trigger us to eat fall into nine

main categories.

1. Social. Eating when around other people. For example, excessive eating

can result from being encouraged by others to eat; eating to fit in; arguing;

or feelings of inadequacy around other people. Often people who are

under stress will seek out social support, which is a great way to relieve

stress. Unfortunately for dieters, when people get together — especially

women — we tend to go out for a nice meal. Crying on your friend’s

shoulder over a couple of hot fudge sundaes, going out for a night on the

town and a plate full of fried appetizers, sharing a bowl of chips with the

guys as you watch a game, or discussing the gory details of a nightmare

date over cheesecake with your roommates (didn’t this occur in every

episode of The Golden Girls?) are all social forms of emotional eating. It

can make you feel better in the short term, but you may regret later.

2. Emotional. Eating in response to boredom, stress, fatigue, tension,

depression, anger, anxiety or loneliness as a way to "fill the void."

3. Situational. Eating because the opportunity is there. For example, at a

restaurant, seeing an advertisement for a particular food, passing by a

bakery. Eating may also be associated with certain activities such as

watching TV, going to the movies or a sporting event, etc.

4. Thoughts. Eating as a result of negative self-worth or making excuses for

eating. For example, scolding oneself for looks or a lack of will power.

5. Physiological. Eating in response to physical cues. For example,

increased hunger due to skipping meals or eating to cure headaches or

other pain.

6. Coritsol Cravings: Stress can bring on increased levels of coritsol,

known as "the stress hormone." Coritsol has a beneficial function in the

body, but excessive levels of coritsol brought on by chronic stress can

cause a slew of problems in the body. Among other things, high levels of

coritsol can create cravings for salty and sweet foods. In previous

centuries, this enabled people to bulk up on foods that would sustain them

during times when food is scarce; however, in modern times and

industrialized nations, when food is rarely scarce, this previously adaptive

mechanism causes excess weight gain.

7. Nervous Energy: When stressed or anxious, many people become "orally

fidgety." Sometimes this leads to nail biting or teeth grinding, and often it

leads to eating when not hungry. Many people, out of nervousness or

boredom, just munch on chips or drink soda to give their mouths

something to do.

8. Childhood Habits: Many of us have comforting childhood memories that

revolve around food. Whether your parents used to reward you with

sweets, fix your boo-boos with an ice cream cone, or make your favorite

meal (or take you out to one) to celebrate your successes, you’d probably

be in the vast minority if you didn’t develop some emotionally-based

attachments to food while growing up. When in times of stress, few things

can be as powerfully comforting or rewarding as your favorite food.

Because many people don’t develop more effective coping strategies, this

type of emotional eating is very common: people eat to celebrate, eat to

feel better, eat to deal with the stress of being overweight.

9. Stuffing Emotions: Another emotional reason that many people eat is to

quiet uncomfortable emotions. People who are uncomfortable with

confrontation may deal with frustrations in their marriage with a piece of

cake, for example, rather than with open communication. Food can take

the focus off of anger, resentment, fear, anxiety, and a host of other

emotions we’d sometimes rather not feel, and is often used for this

purpose.

Steps to End Emotional Eating

Step One: Identify Your Triggers

The first step to handling emotional eating is to identify your emotional eating

triggers. We all have different reasons for giving in to emotional eating. While you

may never eat when you're happy, your best friend may celebrate each small

victory with a binge. Some people clam up and subsist on water and saltines

when she's depressed; I eat anything within reach.

By identifying what triggers our eating, we can substitute more appropriate

techniques to manage our emotional problems and take food and weight gain out

of the equation.

One way to identify your triggers is to put it in writing. By keeping a journal where

you document your food and feelings you'll be able to record how you're feeling

and how much, how often, and what you eat. It doesn't have to be anything

fancy, just a plain spiral notebook will do the trick, Simply write the date at the top

of the page and then jot down what you're eating and how you're feeling before

and after you do. Also identify what stressors, thoughts, or emotions you identify

as you eat. You should begin to identify patterns to your excessive eating fairly

quickly. In time, you will find that your emotional eating has a pattern to it. When

you see it in black and white you will begin to understand the true measure of

your own personal emotional eating triggers.

In short, every time you put something in your mouth, write it down.

It's helpful to write down more than just the food item itself. Record the following

information:

Date, including both day and month.

Time of day.

Where you were at when you ate (in your car, at your desk, etc).

What you were doing when you ate? Were you working? Driving?

How did you feel before and after you ate?

What prompted you to eat? Did something in particular happen that day?

Who were you with? Were you alone?

What did you eat?

How much did you eat?

Were you hungry? How hungry?

Rate of eating. Did you eat quickly? Slowly?

Be honest — the diary is only for your eyes. Plus, it won't be helpful if you're not

truthful. Record the information for a few days. Afterward, you likely will see

patterns. Perhaps every time you get angry or upset you find yourself reaching

for cookies. Or perhaps you can't resist the sight or smell of tempting foods, no

matter how recently you've eaten. Whatever your patterns, once you become

aware of them, you can work on changing them.

Step Two: Recognize Hunger Signals

An important step in dealing with emotional eating is to get to know your body's

hunger signals. Have you ever noticed that we eat when we're "supposed to"

from early on? Starting from when you were a child in elementary school, lunch

time at school meant that's when you are supposed to eat. Same goes for work

lunch break. Instead of eating when you are “supposed to”, try listening to your

body and eat when you're hungry. True hunger actually feels like a mild gnawing

sensation in the gut. Have you ever noticed when your stomach growls loudly?

That’s a sign of TRUE hunger.

To find out if you're feeling a craving or getting hungry, give the urge to eat a 10-

minute waiting period. If you've moved on to doing something and you suddenly

realized you're not hungry, it was a craving; if the urge to eat is still there,

chances are you're getting hungry. Learn to recognize true hunger. Is your

hunger physical or emotional? If you ate just a few hours ago and don't have a

rumbling stomach, you're probably not really hungry. Give the craving a few

minutes to pass.

Step Three: Limit Trigger Foods

STOP stocking your fridge and pantry with the foods you binge on!

Don't keep unhealthy foods around. Avoid having an abundance of

high-calorie comfort foods in the house. If you feel hungry or blue, postpone

the shopping trip for a few hours so that these feelings don't influence your

decisions at the store.

Snack healthy. If you feel the urge to eat between meals, choose a low-

fat, low-calorie food, such as fresh fruit, vegetables with fat-free dip or

unbuttered popcorn. Or test low-fat, lower calorie versions of your favorite

foods to see if they satisfy your craving.

Eat a balanced diet. If you're not getting enough calories to meet your

energy needs, you may be more likely to give in to emotional eating. Try to

eat at fairly regular times and don't skip breakfast. Include foods from the

basic groups in your meals. Emphasize whole grains, vegetables and fruits,

as well as low-fat dairy products and lean protein sources. When you fill up

on the basics, you're more likely to feel fuller, longer.

Step Four: Don't Skip Meals Skipping

Skipping meals almost always leads to over-eating.

Step Five: Create Alternatives to Eating

The only way to put this record to use effectively is to plan alternative activities

to eating so you'll have another option the next time the situation and/or

feelings arise in your life. Whether it's a bubble bath or curling up with a good

book, planning other activities will help you relax and avoid binges. Look

elsewhere for comfort. Instead of unwrapping a candy bar, take a walk, treat

yourself to a movie, listen to music, read or call a friend. If you think that stress

relating to a particular event is nudging you toward the refrigerator, try talking

to someone about it to distract yourself. Plan enjoyable events for yourself!

Step Six: Exercise regularly and get adequate rest.

Your mood is more manageable and your body can more effectively fight stress

when it's fit and well rested.

Step Seven: Believe in Yourself and Don't Give Up

Give yourself some credit! When you trip up -- because we all do, don't give up!

Forgive yourself and start over the next day. Learning from your mistakes and

focusing on the positive will go along way in ensuring your continued weight loss

success.

Here is a helpful list of ways you can break habits-

Usually, by the time you have identified a pattern, eating in response to emotions

or certain situations has become a habit. Now you have to break that habit!

Developing alternatives to eating is the second step in this equation! The next

time that those cravings come on and you start to reach for that cupcake in

response to a trigger, try one of the following activities instead.

• Read a good book or magazine or listen to music.

• Spend time with a loved one

• Go for a walk or jog.

• Take a bubble bath.

• Do deep breathing exercises.

• Play cards or a board game.

• Catch up with an old friend

• Be productive around the house- do housework, laundry or yard work.

• Wash your car

• Do some charity work

.

Recovering from Emotional Eating

If you give in to emotional eating, forgive yourself and start fresh the next day.

Try to learn from the experience, and make a plan for how you can prevent it in

the future. Focus on the positive changes you're making in your eating habits and

give yourself credit for making changes that ensure better health.

There is no diet or magic pill that will cure you from emotional eating and

recovery is hard work. Emotional eating is not about food; it is a coping tool for

handling life. Many of us were deeply negative and unable to distinguish negative

thought patterns from reality; our perspective was distorted. Recovery means

rebuilding trust with yourself. Listen to yourself, validate your feelings, try to

understand your needs and get them met. We accept how we feel, and if we

don't like what we feel, we change what we are doing or we change what we

think. Changing our thinking makes it possible to change our feelings and

behavior; developing willingness and learning new skills is a process, not an

event.

Don’t Distract- Get on Track!

Sometimes simply distracting yourself from eating and developing alternative

habits is not enough to manage the emotional distress that leads to excessive

eating. To more effectively cope with emotional stress, try

• Relaxation exercises

• Meditation

• Individual or group counseling

These techniques address the underlying emotional problems which are causing

you to binge and teach you to cope in more effective and healthier ways.

As you learn to incorporate more appropriate coping strategies and to curb

excessive eating, remember to reward yourself for a job well done. We tend to

repeat behaviors that have been reinforced, so reward yourself when you meet

your nutrition management goals. Buy that blouse, take that vacation, or get that

massage you wanted. By rewarding yourself for a job well done you increase the

likelihood that you will maintain your new healthy habits.

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