A widespread coping mechanism when we are stressed, upset or overwhelmed is to turn to food for comfort. There’s a term “comfort food” after all – and it’s a genuine thing. Even boredom can trigger mindless eating, such as when you’re curled up on the couch enjoying your favorite show and feel the need to snack your way through it. Is binge eating something you struggle with, too? I know for myself when my life is stressful, I feel anxious and depressed I feel like I can’t stop eating. It’s not out of hunger it’s out of searching for something to make me feel better. Which then starts a cycle eating, feeling bad about eating, more eating and…. well, you get the picture!
So, how do you avoid binge eating even when life gets crazy? Here are some tips to help guide you through.
How to Stop Emotional Binge Eating
1. Know your triggers
Knowing is half the battle! If you find that you tend to overeat after stressful projects at work or when you spend time at your parents home, you can head it off at the pass.
2. Take notes on your stressors
Write down everything you eat (both good and bad) for an entire month. When you do, be sure to note your mood with each meal and snack. By doing so, you can pinpoint what’s sending you into the kitchen to overindulge and retrain yourself to handle it without food.
3. Choose active activities with friends
Often, we make plans to go eat with friends. But there are other ways to socialize without doing it over plates of food. Suggest a meet-up at the park, trying a new class at the gym, going to a pottery workshop, or something that gets you away from the dining table.
4. Choose healthier foods first when eating
This tip is perfect for the upcoming holiday party season but can be used year-round. When you’re presented with loads of tempting foods, first fill your plate up with healthy items. Eat them slowly and wait. If you’re still hungry, go back for a small plate of seconds when you can enjoy the not-so-healthy dishes you had your eye on.
5. Drink more water
Water keeps us hydrated and is useful for flushing out toxins. It’s also a good helper when it comes to preventing overeating. Drink it before you have a meal and you’ll be less inclined to overeat.
6. Don’t eat in front of the TV
In front of the TV is where much overeating takes place. Do something else with your hands if you can’t help eating while watching your shows. This will keep you busy and less likely to snack. Fold your laundry or take up knitting to keep your hands busy.
7. Seek stress-busting alternatives
Indulging in foods you love is fine in moderation, but if you’re doing it to battle your feelings, it’s not a healthy habit to continue. Stop this from happening by going with other ways of reducing stress. If this is a problem you’re struggling with, really dig deep into what truly relaxes you, and learn to implement these tactics in your everyday life. What do you find helps calm you the most?
Some seasons of life it feels easier to avoid the emotional food trap. Staying in the lane of making good choices and feeling good about yourself. When we gravitate towards emotional eating it really starts a cycle of pulling us down, pulling and tugging on self-confidence, self-worth. I know for me this is the hardest struggle. You feel worse about yourself but you cant seem to stop the cycle.
These last few years personally have been really challenging and I know first hand about this struggle. Working out, having a good support system, staying busy, and keeping my home a safe place without the temptation is a huge help for me. It’s not easy to do! And there are many days I fail but tomorrow is a new day! Embrace it and Embrace your future! I’d love to hear from you!
Get your FREE ebook Download How to Stop Emotional Binge Eating!
You can learn to honor your body and love yourself through the power of affirmations and by eating with intuition, instead of counting calories. This ebook can help you with all of this, including ways to reconnect with your body, stop using food to fix your feelings and find peace from emotions that leave you empty or vacant. Finally, we will give you some daily self-love ritual tips.
A bit about me ~ Women hire me to get rid of bloating and up their energy without depriving themselves of delicious food. As a Functional Medicine Certified Health Coach and Whole Living Expert, I do this by getting to the root cause of their sickness so that they can finally say goodbye to excess weight and enjoy endless energy to reignite their zest for life.
As a Functional Medicine Certified Health Coach, I know one size doesn’t fit all. We will work together collaborating and identifying your health goals. The art of the coach-client relationship is to come alongside the client, listening, empowering and putting together a plan that works for you. A realistic plan that can be implemented for lasting change. We will look at a whole body, a Mind-body approach using whole foods, positive psychology, the psychology of eating, stress its impact on the body working towards changes in lifestyle for optimal health and lasting lifelong wellness!
