If you are an emotional eater, you are not alone. Often, when we feel stressed, anxious, or worried, we grab a snack and munch away. Emotional eating is often linked with uncomfortable emotions or past trauma. Many of us experience comfort in grabbing that specific thing to eat. The feeling of comfort might be needed when faced with challenges and stressors. It’s important to understand your eating habits and seek help if you think you may have a problem with emotional eating.
Know Your Triggers
Certain things make a person turn to comfort eating. Maybe you are going through an extremely stressful situation, such as divorce, losing a job, or just having a bad day. You are uncomfortable, stressed, and feel out of control. Eating may be what you turn to because it is familiar and readily accessible. Learning what triggers you to use eating to overcome stress will help you work through those issues in a healthy and productive way.
Replace Stress Eating With Other Activities
If you are feeling stressed and know you will turn to comfort eating, you can replace eating with other activities. For some, that means getting out of the house, going for a hike, bike ride, or visiting friends. Others find that meditation or yoga helps reduce stress and find calm. Learn what works best for you. Exploring other activities will lead you to learn more about yourself along the way. Unhealthy eating habits can be harmful to your health and self-esteem. Reducing stress and replacing emotional eating with healthy activities can help improve your overall well-being.
Bad eating habits like over-eating or eating foods with low nutritional value can become serious problems if the root causes are not addressed. Knowing what causes you stress and triggers emotional eating can help you learn to identify and manage these triggers in a more healthy way. If you are stressed and want to turn to comfort food, try replacing eating with other activities that reduce stress. So many mental health struggles lie below the surface of emotional eating. Often, we find that it is best to work with a professional who understands eating disorders because they can help us better understand the causes of our behaviors. Here at The Guest House, we are ready to help you face those challenges head-on and gain the skills and tools you need to help you live a healthy and happy life. Call us today to learn more about our treatment options and how we can help you at (855) 483-7800.