Eating based on feelings may be a familiar problem to many people. It pertains to eating to manage emotions instead of eating due to hunger. Specifically, occasional stress eating is okay, but it becomes an issue when it becomes the main way of handling stress. Let’s know what triggers emotional eating, its effects on health, and how to control it.
What is Stress Eating?
Stress eating, also known as emotional eating, is when people resort to food to help cope with stress, boredom, loneliness, or anything of that nature. Well, this means instead of attending to and managing/comforting their emotional state, food takes over that role and becomes the way one comforts oneself. This may result in a vicious circle where eating is prompted by bad feelings. This in turn, is followed by a feeling of guilt or shame. Stress and eating become correlated leading to poor effects on your health.
Relation Between Food and Emotion
To be emotionally intelligent while controlling one’s emotions, especially associated with eating, is not an easy task. Food consumption is usually associated with positive emotions because of the taste, or because it reminds one of something good, but then it becomes a comfort object during misfortunate days. It is established that stress stimulates eating and makes you want to consume more energy-rich ‘comfort’ foods which can result in stress eating disorder.
What Triggers Emotional Eating?
To follow an effective approach when dealing with eating and emotions, first of all, one should identify the stimuli regarding stress eating. Common triggers include:
- Stress:
When a person feels stressed, they are likely to have higher cortisol levels which makes them look for sweet or fatty foods. Emotion and food become correlated here. - Boredom:
Eating creates the notion of doing things and can occupy time. This can temporarily make you feel good. - Emotional States:
It can make people turn to food in an attempt to find some comfort in sad and lonely moments or vent anger. - Social Situations:
Meals are always associated with social functions and more often peer pressure also predisposes people to overindulge. - Fatigue:
Stress and fatigue make it difficult for people to think straight and improve the chances of reaching for food to give one energy. One might choose to note down what they eat several times a day to note the correlation between emotion and food.
Strategies to Manage Eating Under Stress
Given below are some of the measures that you must take for emo eating:
- Mindful Eating:
Engaging in mindful eating is also an important recommendation, which implies focusing on the process of eating, and the process of consuming food should be enjoyable. This can help in distinguishing different hunger signals from measures that are consequent to stress or depression. - Healthy Coping Mechanisms:
Emotional coping strategies should be healthier and proper to take care of emotions. Encourage the patients to participate in physical activities that will help them get some relief and keep their mind off the pain; walking, reading, or having a conversation with a friend. - Stress Management:
Indeed, stress is listed among the main catalysts, which is why it is important to work on stress-relieving methods. Meditation, doing exercises daily, and deep breathing can help reduce stress and minimize feelings for emotion food. - Healthy Snacks:
It will also be wise to ensure proper snacks are available to combat hunger without fear of the consequences. Foods like nuts, fruits, and vegetables can help supply all the necessary nutrients while at the same time avoiding extra-calorie foods. - Regular Meals:
Take five small balanced meals a day to avoid a dip in sugar levels in the body as it helps provide sustained energy. This may help in avoiding the temptation of taking a lot of snacks or eating due to stress. - Support System:
One should discuss the problem with friends, families, or any support groups. Discussing what you go through or facing an issue can help ease the burden and get advice. - Professional Help:
It is important to seek help from a therapist or a dietitian when stress eating becomes a problem. They can provide different ways of coping with individual requirements and elemental psychological problems.
What are Long-Term Solutions to Eating in Stress?
Some of the long-term solutions that can be undertaken for stress eating disorders have been stated below:
- Developing Emotional Awareness:
When the awareness is increased regarding the feelings and emotions that an individual goes through, the eating habits can be well understood. The process of journaling or the therapies can be executed in such cases. - Building Resilience:
To minimize the use of food for comfort, one must develop a healthier coping mechanism, thereby developing emotional resilience or having a regimen of positive affirmations and self-care practices. - Creating a Balanced Lifestyle:
If people maintain a balanced schedule that is formatted between working, resting, and having leisure, the stress that leads to this type of eating can be minimized. - Nutritional Education:
Training can help learn the value of the foods they consume and possibly switch to a better diet. Awareness of how various foods act in an individual’s system and emotions makes it easier to avoid worsening the condition. - Mind-Body Practices:
This may include physical activity, Yoga, tai-chi, and mindfulness meditation. It will help in the long run as a way of helping you to become more in tune with your body’s hunger signals and other emotional cues.
Conclusion
Stress eating is identified as a porter mechanism of dealing with negative emotions, such as stress in individuals. It is important to deal with it by adding healthier methods of coping, and when required, getting proper medical help. Do keep in mind that this is not yet another diet to exclude emotions from eating but to try to gain control over your stress and eating instead. It is possible to introduce modifications into a daily routine and benefit from stress reduction, increase in food quality, and other favorable effects based on mindful eating and consideration of one’s emotions.
