If you overeat because you're stressed or sad, you know that food can give you a moment's solace. But the relief doesn't last long, and you're probably adding weight gain to your list of anxieties and regret.
Eating to ease the pain of loss or disappointment isn't healthy. To break a cycle, you have to recognize your emotional triggers and find alternative ways to feel better.
You can't think of food as the first solution to your problems. Unfortunately you can't break your food habit if you don't recognize it.
When you crave chewy or crunchy foods, such as chips, nuts or textured, chewy foods like pizza, it may be a signal that you're feeling anger. If you don't know what you want to eat, but it's got to be smooth and comforting, like ice cream, pasta or custard, it's a sign you're feeling lonely, bored or empty.
You eat when you're tense, tired or fed up. Being tired can mean you're physically or mentally drained, or feeling blue, or not moving enough, or bored.
Once you know you're eating as a response to something other than hunger, you can ask yourself what's driving your appetite. Then you can work out your mood by taking a walk, writing in a journal or going to gym. Getting to this state of awareness takes time and introspection. It's one thing to recognize you're devouring a huge bag of potato chips because you had a lousy day at the office.
Its not easy to put alternative behavior. You have to remember to do action, instead of eating.
I have read this from a dietitian that you have to become a conscious eater. Eat two bites of the foods you want. Eat it slowly. Notice how it feels as you swallow it. Eat the second bite the same way. Most people find that they get the most pleasure from the first two bites of a desired foods.
You can't fully manage your weight if you're soothing yourself with food. Trading down to a lower calorie solution wont help you get the problem. Although you have to guarantee that you'll lose weight once you stop emotional eating-only reducing calories assures that you will report an improved quality of life and feel less stressed out, and that may help you manage your weight.
