It was one of those days. The work was a nightmare, you got controversy with your partner, and household chores were accumulating at home. The next thing you know, you stand in the kitchen, looking for a little bit of relief in a bag of chips.
Emotional eating is a common response to stress, frustration, boredom, fatigue, or even happiness and excitement (1and 2). Although food can provide short -term comfort, it is not always the most useful tool in your emotional confrontation set (1).
Let's take a closer look at the cause of emotional food, how to discover the difference between physical and emotional hunger, and what you can do to build more supportive habits. I will also explain how food tracking tools - such as myfitnessPal - can help you become more aware of your eating patterns, so that you can respond to your emotions in ways that you feel more supportive (3).
What is emotional eating?
Emotional eating is when you turn to food to calm or distract your attention from emotions, rather than satisfying physical hunger (1and 2). It is a means of adaptation, not fuel (1and 2).
He gradually builds physical hunger, comes after a few hours without food, and feels it in your body - such as waste stomach, headache, irritation or low energy (1). It can be satisfied with a variety of foods and usually ends when you are full (1).
Emotional hunger is different. It can come suddenly, often associated with passion for specific comfortable foods - such as chips, cookies or ice cream (1). It is often not satisfied, for example, an apple - or another food that satisfies your appetite if you are physically hungry (1).
Emotional eating is also associated with eating in the past, so that it can make you feel excessively stuffed and uncomfortable after that (1). You may also feel guilty or shame after an emotional eating ring, which may increase tension (1).
Some of the most common emotional eating players include (1and 2):
- pressure
- anxiety
- boredom
- Feeling lonely
- Anger or frustration
- Feeling of fatigue or outside the scope of control
- Celebration or use of food as a reward
Food can provide a quick distraction or a temporary feeling of comfort, comfort or excitement, but how many cookies or a group of pastries will not really solve basic problems (1). Therefore, although it is normal and common to eat for reasons other than physical hunger at times, it is useful to learn other confrontation strategies, so that you can treat what bothers you (1).
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Why do we eat when we feel nervous
Stress can affect your body - and your appetite - in ways that may increase the possibility of emotional eating (4). Here is how.
The cortisol is the rocks of desire
"When you are tense, your body releases cortisol, a hormone that may increase appetite, especially for comfortable foods that contain sugar, starch and fat, which some people find soothing," says Catherine Pascum, a myfitnessPal.4).
And she explains that although there are strategies that you can use to help control this stress response, it is important to remember that it is not your mistake or as a result of low self -control or will (4).
Bad kidnapping sermon hunger
If the pressure interferes with your sleep, it may also disrupt hormones that help regulate appetite (5). Until a night or night of bad sleep (anything less than seven hours) may make it difficult to manage your appetite, which can contribute to stress and excessive eating (6).
Emotional eating can be learned
Think of returning to being a child: Have you received a treatment after influenza shot or cookie when you are upset? Over time, experiments like this may have formed how to use food to find comfort (2). Over time, your mind may begin to tie eating by relieving stress and strengthening the pattern (2). This can create an episode: you feel tension (or other emotion), eat something, and feel better temporarily (7).
It can feel comfortable in reality-but it is usually short-lived
Comfortable foods may provide a brief distraction from emotional discomfort or give you a temporary batch of dopamine. But they do not address the main issue - and it may make you feel the worst after that (4).
Is emotional eating really a problem?
Food is associated with emotion with all kinds of ways. Think: Christmas cake, holiday meals, or your favorite comfort dish when you feel under weather. Eating for emotional reasons from time to time is common, so it is not something bad or very anxious.
If emotional eating becomes your main way of adapting, it may be useful to explore additional support strategies.
"If you sometimes find yourself using food to calm your tense nerves and calm yourself, it is likely that it is not a big deal, but if you find yourself turning into food often, especially less healthy foods such as chips and files, definition of correlation, it may be worth paying attention to how this affects your general health (8).
Although emotional eating is not necessarily a healthy behavior, it is not a personal failure. It is a behavior developed for some reason, and with some awareness and support, it is also something you can change (1and 2))
About experts
Samantha Castity, MS, RDHe is a recognized diet and nutrition expert at the national level, the personality of the media, the nutrition consultant, and the author. Cassetty is a former feed manager of Good Housebeng and co -author of Sugar Shock.
Catherine Passemum, MS, RDMyfitnessPal. She obtained a master’s degree in nutritional communication from Friedmann's College of Nutrition Science and Policy at the University of Tafs and completed her food training in UVA Health, as she also works as a nutrition consultant for heart disease patients.
How to deal without turning into food
Emotional food does not disappear overnight - but building tools of alternative strategies can help you1). Here are some tools that you can try to change your habits over time.
1. Stop and name what you feel
Sometimes, emotion - idle, boredom, anxiety - can be defined by its severity (1). Ask yourself: What do I need now - Comfort, contact, comfort?
2. Try the grounding activity
You can walk short, sip tea, do a breathing exercise, or step out for a few minutes (1). Anything that links you to the current moment may help reset your response (1).
3. Keep a list of non -food amenities
Take a few mood spices such as contact a friend, listen to music, or watch a funny video. When emotions work high, it helps to have ideas within your reach (1).
4. Follow your meals and emotions
"Food tracking is a tool with a number of benefits," says Basbauum.3). "This can help you note the patterns between what you eat and how you feel (3). "Use the notes section in the app to record mood and hunger signals so that you can discover emotional eating patterns and adapt over time (3).
5. Building pathological meals
Balanced meals that include protein and fiber can help increase fullness, which may make it easy to distinguish between real hunger and emotional research (9).
6. Exercise stopping the power of stopping
"If you feel surprisingly passionate, take a rhythm and control it," says Bassema. "If the emotional hunger is, give yourself a moment to decide how you want to respond (9). Take a breath, and give yourself a minute to allow the desire to pass or decide how you want to address your stress (1). If you decide to go to a sedative snack, then there is nothing wrong with that. But you may find that this little stop is all that it takes to direct you towards managing your stressful moments differently. "
Related questions (common questions)
What causes emotional eating?
Emotional eating is often turned on due to stress, boredom, anxiety or other emotions, and it can be usually when using food to deal with feelings (2).
Is emotional eating like eating voraciously?
No - emotional eating is usually more moderate and relationship, while eating often involves eating large amounts of food quickly and feels the loss of control. If you suffer from it regularly, this may be a sign of something more dangerous. Consider communicating with a healthcare professional for support (10).
Can food tracking help stop emotional eating?
Yes - it can help you in determining meals, codifying your hunger and emotions in identifying patterns and building awareness (3). This is a meaningful step towards changing emotional eating habits (3).
What are some healthy ways to deal with stress?
Try to go on foot, contact a friend, diary, or do a short breathing exercise (1). These procedures can calm you, take boredom, or get your feelings root without relying on food (1).
Is it acceptable to eat sometimes?
definitely! Many people do this, which is a natural part of the human experience. What matters is the presence of multiple ways to take care of yourself, so food is not your only outlet (1).
The bottom line
Emotional eating is a natural part of being a human being, and it does not make you "bad" or "uncontrolled". Instead of judging yourself to emotionally, ask what you really need at that moment (1). Was it comfort? break? communication? This self -reflection can be incredibly strong, and it can help you start turning your response in a more supportive direction (1).
MyfitnessPal can be a useful tool in this process (3). Tracking what you eat - besides what you feel - can help you connect the points between your habits and emotions, so that you can deliberately respond next time (3).
Pamphlet Why can't I stop eating when I am tense or emotional? First appear on MyfitnessPal Blog.
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