Is Eating An Emotional Experience?

 

Do you find eating is an emotional experience for you?

If you ever woke up on the sofa with an empty bag of chips next to you and no memory of how you wound up there, you’ve fallen victim to emotional eating.

According to leading nutritional experts, about 75 percent of overeating is caused by emotion. In other words, we are getting far too comfortable with comfort foods.

Most emotional eating starts with the desire to relieve stress. Instead of snacking, figure out the reasons for your anxiety and find new skills to combat your issues.

To overcome your emotions at the moment, you can:

1. Eliminate chips and chocolate from your cabinets and stock up on healthier snacks such as applesauce, bananas and whole wheat toast.
2. Exercising is one of the best ways to relieve stress and stay fit. Take a walk, shoot a few hoops, jog around the block or do calisthenics and cardio to get past your emotions.
3. Keep a journal tracking your progress, highlighting your achievements and reinforcing your goals.
4. Instead of eating to relieve stress, talk to someone you trust or visit online forums for advice.

When you take control of your emotions, you are also taking care of your overall fitness and well-being.