Most of us have found ourselves eating our feelings at some point in our lives. However, for some, stress eating has become a habit, and can lead to negative feelings, physical health problems, or even to an eating disorder. In this article, we'll share how to stop emotional eating and build a healthy relationship with all foods.
While many of us stress eat, some of us are unaware of why we do it, or how to address it. Let's take a closer look at how stress eating works.
Stress eating is a common response to stress, triggered by the hormone cortisol. Cortisol is released when we are under high amounts of stress, and it increases appetite and desire for comfort foods. When we eat these foods, it provides a temporary emotional response, but research shows it only provides relief for about three minutes.
Stress eating is often linked to feelings of childhood comfort and nostalgia, and you may notice that when you are feeling stressed, your body tends to crave comfort food or junk food that you enjoyed in your childhood years.
One of the first steps in addressing emotional eating is to identify our own particular triggers. There are a number of common ones, and understanding our "why" can give us pause as we start to stress eat.
Stress: Chronic stress can lead to emotional eating as a way to cope with feelings of anxiety and overwhelm. Higher cortisol levels increase cravings not for nutritious foods, but comfort food.
Blunting emotions: Eating can be a way to temporarily silence or “stuff down” uncomfortable emotions. If we are eating, our minds are distracted from feeling things we don't want to feel in the moment.
Boredom or feelings of emptiness: Eating can be a way to fill a void or occupy the mind. This can commonly be seen in cases of clinical depression.
Childhood habits: Eating habits learned in childhood can influence emotional eating patterns in adulthood. If your parents used food as a reward when you were a kid, you may be inclined to give yourself treats as an adult.
Social influences: Social situations can trigger emotional eating, especially if food is used as a way to bond or celebrate. Going out with friends on Friday or Saturday nights may have you eating and drinking more than you typically would.
One way to track how you use food, is writing it down. Keeping a food and mood diary can help identify patterns and triggers of emotional eating. Writing down both your emotions and eating habits can help identify common triggers and patterns. Identifying these triggers is the first step to breaking the cycle of emotional eating
Once you understand that your food cravings have an emotional connection, it's time to distinguish the difference between true hunger and emotional eating, and take steps to break the cycle.
Emotional hunger is a craving for specific comfort foods, often triggered by emotional states, while physical hunger is a natural bodily need for food, triggered by a growling stomach or low blood sugar. Identifying the difference between emotional and physical hunger is key to breaking the cycle of emotional eating.
Don't get us wrong, eating can be a celebration, and it can be a mistake to try to use food intake as purely a way to fuel your body. However, you do want to offer yourselves alternatives to food when it comes to positive emotions and spending time with friends. For example, social connections can be built over hobbies and activities as well as food.
For managing negative motions, you may choose alternative behaviors as well. Physical activity can help reduce stress and anxiety, as can indulging in creative activities you enjoy. You can also reach out to friends and family to reduce feelings of loneliness or isolation.
Finally, practicing mindfulness can help increase self-awareness and reduce eating when you're feeling stressed.
While occasionally indulging in tempting foods like ice cream can be fine, physical health correlates with eating habits, so building a foundation of healthy habits can be important.
Eating nutrient-dense foods can help reduce food cravings for emotional eating types. Too many unhealthy foods can trigger a desire for more, so try to focus on whole, unprocessed foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. Avoid sugary, salty, and fatty foods that can trigger emotional eating.
Drinking enough water can help reduce hunger and increase feelings of fullness, so aim for at least eight glasses of water per day. You can add fruit to your water or drink seltzer water, but try to avoid sugary drinks that can trigger emotional eating.
Mindfulness is about more than meditation and stress relief...these practices can help you change your habits, too.
Pay attention to the experience of eating, including the taste, texture, and smell of food. When you eat, eat slowly and savor each bite. Avoid distractions while eating, such as watching TV or playing with your phone. Sit at the table and enjoy your food.
Allow yourself to enjoy comfort foods in moderation, and focus on the experience of eating, rather than the food itself.
When you manage stress in a healthy way, you may find that your favorite foods have less of a hold on you. The following tips can help you moderate your food choices.
Deep breathing exercises can help reduce stress and anxiety, throughout the day, and a yoga practice can help reduce stress and increase feelings of relaxation. Get regular physical activity, keep active with friends, and get sufficient, quality sleep to help manage stress levels.
If managing on your own feels too difficult, reach out to friends and family for support. Let them know what you're doing, share your coping skills and ask for their encouragement. Consider joining a support group for emotional or disordered eating, and seek help from a mental health professional if necessary.
It's not always easy to keep going with healthy habits, even when you notice positive results like weight loss and higher energy levels. Check out the following wellness tips to keep moving forward through tough times.
Celebrate even small victories, such as a day without emotional eating. Take the time to reflect on progress and identify areas for improvement, and continue to practice healthy eating habits and stress management techniques to maintain progress.
Gut hormone responses to stress can make it difficult to get a handle on emotional eating, but therapy can help.
At Williamsburg Therapy Group in Austin our team of doctoral-level psychotherapists offer both online and in-person sessions to accommodate a busy life, and allow you to work with a provider that can offer treatment that uses evidence-based therapy and food science to help break free from the unhealthy cycle of emotional eating.
Call today to speak with a service coordinator who can find the right therapist match for you. Our therapists can offer emotional support as well as practical strategies to promote a healthy relationship with food.