Emotional Eating

This afternoon, I thought that I would put pen to paper (text to screen?) about a  habit of mine which is surely jeopardising my goal to be slimmer: emotional eating.

According to weightloss.com.au, common signs of emotional eating may be:

• Eating when not physically hungry.
• Eating during times of strong emotions, like anger or depression.
• Eating when bored.
• Rapid eating.
• Eating immediately after arriving home from work.
• Eating alone out of embarrassment at the quantity or type of food being eaten. Eating until uncomfortably full.
• Feelings of disgust, depression, or guilt after overeating.

I’ve bolded the ones that apply to me. Many times, I find myself eating just because food is available, if other people around me are eating, and when it feels right to eat (e.g. 12:30-1 = lunch time). Another significant problem of mine is that I don’t take a reasonable amount of time to eat meals (it takes around 20 minutes to feel satisfied after eating) and more often than not, I have second helpings at dinner time. Let’s face it – there’s nothing better than my mum’s vegetarian lasagna!

Emotional eating is something that I’m really determined to get control over, if I have any hope of fitting into my Winter clothes. Don’t even mention Super Skinny grey jeans!!

So, what can be done about it? Here are some tips from mayoclinic.com:

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.

Know your triggers. For the next several days, write down what you eat, how much you eat, when you eat, how you’re feeling when you eat and how hungry you are. Over time, you may see patterns emerge that reveal negative eating patterns and triggers to avoid.

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.

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.

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.