Emotional eating tips

Emotional eating

I know when I was trying to lose weight, emotional eating was a real issue for me.

It goes without saying that unless emotional eating is curbed it will wreak havoc with your weight loss efforts.

Most of us have had times where we have just eaten way too much, but binge eating is when excessive amounts of food are frequently consumed in a short amount of time and often uncontrollable.

Binge eating can be linked to emotional triggers such as feeling stressed or overwhelmed and is often accompanied by other conditions, such as depression and can lead to isolation.

The key to successfully kicking this destructive habit is to develop a strategy to manage binge eating that is specific to your needs and addresses the background behind why you binge.

8 tips to help you win the battle of the binge:

  1. Identify your triggers – Keep a food journal to track your eating habits and identify when and why you tend to overeat. Note your emotions, location, and the types of foods you eat.
  2. Find healthier coping mechanisms – Instead of turning to food when you’re feeling bored, stressed or anxious, find other ways to cope, such as exercise, a hobby, or talking to a friend.
  3. Avoid restrictive diets – Eat three meals a day plus healthy snacks. Eating breakfast jump-starts your metabolism in the morning, follow this with a balanced lunch and dinner with healthy snacks in between. You will find menu plans in Book 5 & Book 6, plus
  4. Remove temptation – You’re much more likely to overeat if you have junk food, desserts or unhealthy snacks in the house. Clean out your pantry and fridge and don’t allow them back in the house.
  5. Practice mindfulness – Learn to be more present in the moment and aware of your thoughts and feelings. This can help you recognize when you’re eating out of boredom or emotional distress.
  6. Get enough sleep – If you’re tired, you may want to keep eating to boost your energy. Take a nap or go to bed earlier instead.
  7. Listen to your body – Learn and distinguish between physical and emotional hunger. If you ate recently and don’t have a rumbling stomach, chances are you are not hungry and it’s an emotional response. Try drinking a chamomile tea instead, this will give you a zero calorie way to occupy your hands and the chamomile is also calming.
  8. Seek professional help – If you’re struggling to overcome emotional eating on your own, consider seeking help from a health professional who specialises in disordered eating. They can provide you with personalized guidance and support to help you break the cycle of emotional eating.

Create a support network, so you know who you can turn to on the days when you’re feeling less able to cope. We all need a good support team to help us through life’s challenges. I’m always encouraged by how the members of my mentoring program rally around when one member is struggling. Read how you can join this supportive community HERE.


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