How to Break the Cycle of Emotional Eating

Today I'm going to shed some light on emotional eating, and what you can do to stop it. 
First of all, I'd like to address the question, "What is Emotional Eating?"

Emotional eating occurs when there is a "trigger," usually a stressful situation, tragedy, or loss of some sort that causes us to crave fat-saturated, unhealthy foods. The reason this happens is because when our bodies are in a state of stress, they need more energy (sugar, carbs, fats) to cope with or "cover up" that stress.

 Naturally, we'll begin to crave things that are high in sugar and far in order to compensate for the stress we are feeling. However, the problem is not that we are craving these things, the problem lies in what we are giving our bodies in order to satisfy that craving. Most people will turn to a fast source of energy such as candy, donuts, ice cream, cheese, pizza, and other junk foods for comfort. This then puts our bodies into a "food coma"  where we experience a state of bliss. The aftermath however, is the hangover. After the sugar-high comes the crash, and our bodies experience fatigue, nausea, constipation, bloating, and heaviness. In addition, people who binge eat also experience a sense of guilt, asking themselves "Why did I do that" and battling with thoughts of "I shouldn't be eating this." So what's the solution to putting an end to emotional eating?

The problem is not the fact that we are experiencing the craving, but what we fuel our body to supplement that craving. The body is having that craving for a reason, because it needs energy to keep functioning. But in order to break the cycle of emotional eating, we have to give our bodies highly-nutritional, energy-enhancing foods. Junk foods, sugary foods, processed foods, and meats all require a lot of energy for the body to digest. So while they may provide an initial energy boost, they put our bodies into a slump later. Eating nutrient-rich foods, low in calories, but dense in nutritional value is the best way to ensure you're giving your body what it needs and kick those cravings to the curb. For fast energy, try a banana, blueberry, and almond milk smoothie, green-vegetable juice, or banana-chia seed pudding. All of those will provide your body with the nutrients and energy it needs to get you through a stressful situation. 

The most important thing you can do to end emotional eating is to first recognize it. Ask yourself, "Am I eating this because I'm actually hungry? Or am I just sad/ bored/stressed/ unsatisfied with life?" 

The next step would be to directly address the issue, and what I mean by this is choosing to reach for some delicious fruit, rather than a bag of Cheetos. 

In addition to that, recognize and identify what "triggers" the emotional eating in the first place, and then have a healthy form of stress management to deal with it. Go for a walk or run, journal, talk to a trusted friend or family member, engage in an activity you enjoy, or just get some rest. 

Do these things, and you'll be well on your way to ending the habit of emotional eating! 

Have a great week everyone! :-)