Although the term “emotional eating” is still not in common usage, more and more people are realizing that overeating is almost always the result of eating for emotional reasons, as distinct from eating when hungry.
If you ask Google to notify you about every blog post or article published on the Internet on “emotional eating,” you will discover there are several everyday.
One such recent blog post had some excellent material on how to know if you are eating emotionally. I’d like to quote some excerpts from that post here and provide you with a link so you can read the rest of the post.
“Emotional eating can be said to occur when we eat to satisfy a desire other than physical hunger. Emotional eating usually takes place when a person is depressed or angry, stressed or vulnerable. It can be triggered in response to some distressing news, an argument with a loved one or simply boredom. There are any numbers of reasons that can send us heading straight for the cookie jar.
“You may go to a movie and although it is only an hour or so since you ate a meal you sit and eat a large carton of popcorn, then a coke or perhaps an ice cream. Perhaps you do the same sort of thing most evenings at home in front of the TV, just steadily munching away at various foods although you are not really hungry at all.
How do I know when I am emotionally eating?
“You can tell emotional hunger because it usually comes on very quickly whereas physical hunger will build up gradually.
“Emotional hunger needs to be immediately satisfied and with whatever food you are craving, physical hunger will wait.
“Emotional hunger usually brings with it a desire for certain foods. You may have a burning desire to eat chocolate or cakes or ice cream, maybe only pizza will satisfy your craving. With physical hunger you are more adaptable with what you eat.
“You may not be able to stop overeating. The emotion that has caused you to begin eating may not be satisfied and you are unable to stop eating junk food.
“After emotional eating it is likely that there will be feelings of guilt, this does not occur with physical hunger.”
You can find the full post at http://www.howcanistopeating.com/eating-disorders-–-stop-emotional-eating.
Unfortunately, despite the useful information about emotional eating, this post—like most other articles and books written on the subject—does not provide a workable solution. I am convinced based on my experience with a number of clients who had this problem, that emotional eating is the result of two distinct processes:
First, eating has been conditioned to occur whenever certain triggers or the desire for specific rewards are present and,
Second, beliefs that have been formed about eating, food, and weight.
When you eliminate all the conditionings and beliefs, emotional eating will stop.
For more details, please see my eBook, The Secret to Ending Your Overeating For Good, at http://emotionaleatingreport.com.
Copyright © 2011 Morty Lefkoe