Emotional Eating

Dear Alice,

I have a hard time with emotional eating. What do I do?

 I’ve been there! It starts with a handful of carrots, moves to a few pieces of cheese, and the next thing you know, you’re elbow deep in a pint of ice cream. You go to bed exhausted and sick, feeling out of control and like you have just sabotaged yourself.

Can you relate?

It’s called emotional eating, and it happens more often than you might think. You don’t always have to clean out your fridge in one night to fall victim to emotional eating, either. This can actually happen at any time, when you find yourself eating for reasons other than satisfying actual physical hunger. 

Here are four powerful tools for how to try to put an end to emotional eating for good. Following these steps takes practice and a little bravery, but if you follow them not only will you stop eating emotionally, but you’ll also learn to start enjoying your food — and your life — in a whole new way.

1. Don’t abandon yourself. 

Emotional eating provides a release from discomfort, providing satisfaction when you’re feeling something you don’t want to feel. Overeating takes our attention away from feelings we don’t want to feel or thoughts we don’t want to have. Tell yourself that it’s OK to feel sad, mad, scared, tired — you name it. Welcome your negative emotions and approach your feelings with kindness, and your body will begin to understand that it no longer has to overeat to protect you from your feelings. Plus, through listening to your emotions, you’ll discover what it is you truly want, and can create new strategies on how to combat those feelings. 

2. Maintain the pleasure principle. 

Make pleasure a priority in your life! Flavor your water with fruit, wear soft, comfortable clothes, take bubble baths. Give your body and yourself other ways to experience feeling good, aside from eating. 

3. Eat only when you’re actually hungry. 

When someone is an emotional eater they tend to not eat when they’re actually hungry, which only makes them want to eat a lot more later. Eating when you’re hungry will not only make you less inclined to binge, but it will also tell your body that it’s safe to lose weight and your body doesn’t go into starvation mode. 

4. Prepare for your next binge by knowing your triggers. 

Discover your triggers and think of a plan. If you know you eat when you’re lonely, plan to call a friend or write in your journal instead. Also, always carry food with you so that you never feel deprived it can be baby carrots or a few almonds in your bag. Emotional eating can be your body’s reaction to feeling deprived, so create new ways to not feel that way. Stock your fridge with delicious, healthy foods, pack your calendar with exciting things to do, and always give yourself relaxation time. 

Good Luck!

Alice

Alice Harrosh, is a nutrition counselor and manager at Nutrition by Tanya, with 10 locations plus a brand-new one in Queens. Alice knows that making healthy choices is not always easy, as she has been through the struggle herself. As an optimistic person, Alice’s favorite quote is: “It’s never too late to start eating better. If you have a bad morning, make it a better afternoon.” For more information on Nutrition by Tanya or the TAP (Tanya-approved products) food line, please visit www.nutritionbytanya.com or call 844-Tanya-Diet (844-826-9234). For daily tips and inspiration, you may follow @nutritionbytanya on Instagram.

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