Eating from emotions is one of the biggest reasons why people struggle with being overweight. This topic was discussed several times during coaching conversations.
Emotional eating is a term for people who find comfort or security in food. They experience a feeling of emptiness due to negative emotions, often through unhealthy food,
they try to fill this void. Products that contain sugars and fats are then chosen, which causes us to produce the happiness hormone dopamine in our brains.
The dopamine temporarily relieves the pain, but it does not solve the real problem. If the real problem is not addressed, you will end up in one
negative spiral and you continue to turn to unhealthy food to ease the pain.
For years I have struggled with emotional eating, through my own experience and knowledge, it has now become my mission to help others get rid of it.
Tips to control emotional eating;
Do you suffer from emotional eating and do you want to do something about it? Then carefully read the 6 tips below.
1. Discover the trigger
You will first have to find out where it comes from, what is the reason that you turn to food? What situations make you feel the need to eat?
Awareness is the most important step towards change.
Emotional eating can have various causes, such as;
- Fear
– Feeling unappreciated
– Boredom
– Sadness
– The feeling that you have no control over your life
– A hopeless feeling
- Fatigue
2. Breathe consciously
Sit or lie down quietly and breathe in through your nose for a count of 4; then exhale through your mouth for a count of 6; repeat this five times. By consciously breathing you calm the body and
mind, your nervous system relaxes. This allows you to reduce tension and stress naturally.
3. Write down your thoughts
Set a timer for 5 minutes and write down your emotions and thoughts. By consciously working on the thoughts you have, you will discover what triggers you
want to grab food.
4. Discover what you really need
Once you have gone through the above steps, you will be more aware of the real reason you want to reach for nutrition. Discover what your body really needs
has, inside we know very well what we need.
5. Act according to your needs
Choose to consciously act on the need you have.
Do you feel alone or are you sad? call someone close to you. Are you bored? take a walk, read a book or choose something else that satisfies you
fetches. Do you feel unappreciated? Choose a me time moment, take a hot shower and take good care of yourself.
Develop alternatives to food. Don't be too hard on yourself in this, you are learning/trying so you are allowed to make mistakes.
6. Get help
Emotional eating is a common problem, so seeking help for this is not something to be ashamed of. With the above six tips you will hopefully come one step closer
core of emotional eating, but seeking the help of a coach to work on a healthier and more vital life is an investment for the rest of your life.
Noëlle Bekker
Enforce Master Trainer
noelle@enforce.nl
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