We’ve seen it in the movies many times before. When a woman gets depressed over a break up, she cries in front of the TV and begins to eat from a tub of ice cream. I, myself admit that I am an emotional eater. I eat when I am stressed out. I eat when I am sad. I eat when I am bored to death. This may sound normal to many who experience the same thing. But having so many people doing it makes it the right way to live and eat. Many people have gone over weight because they feed their emotions instead of their appetites. Through my personal research and also many trial and errors, I have made a list of things that you can do to gain control over emotional eating.
Avoid the Triggers
Once you realize that you are an emotional eater, try to determine why and when you start eating uncontrollably. There are several reasons or shall we say triggers that make a person binge. Stress or pressure over work can push you to dig into your candy bars, cheetos and drink cups of coffee or soda to no end. You may also eat because you are bored. Since there is nothing to do, you walk over to the fridge and start eating your stock of groceries. You may have also been given food as a reward when you were a child and so to make you feel good, you reward yourself with a yummy treat. You may also eat to comfort yourself from a bad feeling like anger, sadness, fear or anxiety. Find out what causes it and try to avoid them as much as you can.
Distract Yourself
If you can’t avoid what triggers your emotional eating, you may choose to distract yourself. Whenever you feel like grabbing an unhealthy snack, call up someone you are fond of talking to. Play a video game. Take a walk in the park. You may work out (if you enjoy it). You may also play with your pet cat or dog which can be fun and relaxing. Find something that will make you think of something else instead of food.
Shake it Off
When stress or anxiety is pushing you to eat that oily fried chicken, play your favorite song and dance. Moving to music relieves stress and can take your mind off eating. Get up from your chair and move. Since your brain is busy commanding the other parts of your body as you move, it will begin to forget your cravings.
Comfort Yourself
If you are tired, it is best to give your body comfort first before giving in to ordering pizza or a juicy burger. Take a warm bath. Light some scented candles as you play some meditation or relaxing music. Soak your body in a tub or simply get a full body massage. The pampering will keep your mind off food for a long time.
Eat Healthy
When all else fails and you really feel like eating, reach out for the healthier choice of food. If you crave for chocolates, go for dark chocolates, instead of the milk chocolates. If you were to drink milk, go non fat. If you were to eat a snack, reach for peanuts or fruit instead of chips. If you were to drink soda, go for the low calorie ones. Eat wheat bread instead of regular bread. You see, there is always the better choice of food. You do not need to starve yourself. You just have to know which ones are good for you and not.