Emotional eating is a common struggle that many of us face. It’s a habit where we reach for food, not out of physical hunger, but as a means to cope with our emotions.

In today’s world where instant gratification is easily accessible through food, emotional eating can become a habit that takes a toll on our physical and emotional well-being.

This in my experience is one of the harder habits to break as it has a multifold hold on us – at a physical, emotional, psychological, and social level.

One needs to be strong, and strategic to overcome this habit, especially as one has to make a constant and conscious decision every day, every meal, every time your hand strays to that plate or packet of anything edible!

Simply put, Emotional Eating is eating to feel good, and in psychological terms, eating your emotions.

It is a coping mechanism that so many of us rely on (to some extent) which takes its toll on our physical and emotional well-being, and before we even realize it, we are addicted to these habits, without even realizing when and how we fell in so deep. I should know, I say this from experience – my own and of others that I have seen struggle with this habit and its eventual and negative impacts.

Here are five tips that I have found to be helpful when trying to break free from emotional eating and lead a healthier, more fulfilling life.

5 Tips to Overcome Emotional Eating and Embrace Health

Plan and Prepare

For me, this is the number 1 tool in my arsenal. I know that I tend to do emotional eating, and sometimes, before I know it, I have slipped up. So having a plan and being prepared is a good strategy. This means you have a system set up that works for you and that you don’t have to spend time and effort on every day or fear slipping up on an especially tough or forgetful day.

Prepare healthy, satisfying meals and snacks in advance, so you’re less likely to grab unhealthy options when your emotions run high. Stock your kitchen with nutritious foods that you genuinely enjoy.

More importantly, stash healthy snacks and goodies in your midnight snacking spots.

This will make it easier to make healthy choices when you’re feeling overwhelmed or stressed. Trust me, when it’s the middle of the night, I am tired and anxious about something, the last thing that even occurs to me is how healthy or how many calories the food I am holding in my hands has.

Between a poor sleep cycle and no-set meal times, my diet (the nutritious and fat-loss kind) is always one of the concern areas.

Identify Triggers

Now lets talk about what really gets us started on Emotional Eating – It is our triggers, it is what sets us off (literally and figuratively) as we chase the feel-good sense again.

The saying, ‘To each his own’ is very true here.

To combat emotional eating, it’s essential to identify your triggers.

What are the emotions or situations that lead you to reach for food as a comfort?

A good idea is to keep a journal to track these triggers. Remember emotional eating is actually an attempt to cope with your emotions.

Journaling will help you recognize patterns and provide insights into why you turn to food. Once you’re aware of your triggers, you can begin to develop alternative coping strategies, like deep breathing, taking a walk, or engaging in a hobby, to address your emotional needs. Or just not engaging with that person or that situation if that is possible.

(I know I used to struggle with saying no – until I realized that for my own health (mental and physical) and well-being, I’d better start saying no, even when it was a NY cheesecake calling my name).

Mindful Eating

One of the most powerful strategies to curb emotional eating is practicing mindfulness.

Mindful eating involves paying full attention to the experience of eating, savoring each bite, and being present in the moment.

When you eat mindfully, you’re more likely to recognize true hunger cues, allowing you to distinguish between emotional and physical hunger.

Before reaching for a snack, ask yourself, “Am I truly hungry, or am I eating to escape my emotions?” This simple pause can make a world of difference.

I did a program on healthy eating and this really stayed with me –

ARE YOU HUNGRY?

Or,

Are you thirsty, bored, cranky, have the habit of eating at this time/with this activity or don’t have anything to do, so lets eat?

Or,

Are you simply procrastinating? Avoiding doing what you need to do right now, and trying to postpone it to after you finish eating/drinking.

Asking these questions has really changed how I react in that moment! I have this written on a sticky note, posted where I can see it from the seat where I tend to make most of my emotional eating decisions.

See?

It is through the act of journaling that I identified that I tend to be sitting at this particular chair when I make some of my best and worst decisions!

Seek Support

Breaking free from emotional eating can be challenging, and you don’t have to do it alone.

Reach out to friends, family, or a therapist who can offer support and guidance. Sharing your journey with someone you trust can be a source of motivation and accountability. You might also consider joining a support group or seeking professional help if emotional eating is severely affecting your well-being.

Practice Self-Compassion

Emotional eating often arises from negative emotions like guilt and shame, which can perpetuate the cycle. To break this pattern, practice self-compassion.

Treat yourself with the same kindness and understanding that you would offer to a friend. Remember that everyone has moments of emotional eating, and it doesn’t define your worth or character. Forgive yourself for past slip-ups, and focus on making better choices moving forward.

Now if you don’t know how to practice self-compassion, use your journal and write to yourself, like you would write a letter to your friend and offer your compassion and non-judging acceptance of who you are and that, even if you are still eating due to your emotional triggers, its still okay – YOU STILL LIKE YOU.

BONUS TIP – Understand the Science behind Emotional Eating.

The science behind emotional eating is a complex interplay of psychological, physiological, and neurological factors.

Researchers have explored various aspects of emotional eating to better understand the mechanisms and underlying causes.

Key aspects of the science behind emotional eating:

1. Hormonal Regulation:
   • When we experience stress or strong emotions, the body releases stress hormones like cortisol. These hormones can trigger an increase in appetite, especially for high-calorie and comfort foods.
   • Ghrelin, often referred to as the “hunger hormone,” increases during stressful situations, further stimulating appetite.
     
2. Reward System:
   • Emotional eating often involves seeking foods that provide a sense of pleasure or reward. This is associated with the release of neurotransmitters like dopamine in the brain’s reward centers.
   • The consumption of palatable, high-sugar, or high-fat foods can lead to a temporary improvement in mood and a sense of comfort.
     
3. Psychological Factors:
   • Emotional eating is closely tied to the use of food as a coping mechanism to deal with negative emotions such as stress, anxiety, sadness, and boredom.
   • It can also be influenced by past experiences and associations between certain foods and positive emotions.
     
4. Conditioning and Habituation:
   • Over time, individuals may develop a habit of turning to food when they experience emotional distress. This can create a conditioned response where emotions trigger the desire to eat, even when not physically hungry.
     
5. Mindfulness and Self-Regulation:
   • Mindfulness and self-regulation play an essential role in preventing emotional eating. Developing an awareness of emotional triggers and the ability to regulate emotions in healthier ways can reduce the reliance on food as a coping mechanism.
     
6. Genetics and Environment:
   • Genetic factors may influence an individual’s propensity for emotional eating. Some people may be more genetically predisposed to certain eating behaviors and emotional responses.
   • The environment, cultural norms, and societal pressures can also contribute to emotional eating. For example, food advertising, social gatherings, and family customs can influence eating patterns.
     
7. Social and Cultural Aspects:
   • The social and cultural context in which individuals live can have a significant impact on emotional eating. Social gatherings, holidays, and celebrations often involve food and can reinforce emotional eating habits.
     
8. Neuroplasticity:
   • The brain is adaptable and can develop neural pathways that associate specific emotions with eating. This can lead to emotional eating becoming a conditioned response over time.
     
     

Understanding the science behind emotional eating can really be helpful, especially as you recognize how some of your own habits and triggers relate to one or more of these.

An informed approach to address behavior which involves a combination of strategies, including stress management, mindfulness, and the development of healthier coping mechanisms to disrupt the cycle of using food as a primary emotional regulator has the highest chance of success and permanently (or long-term) changing your habit of emotional eating.

In a nutshell. Emotional eating is a challenging habit to overcome, but with dedication and the right strategies, it’s possible to develop a healthier relationship with food and yourself. Remember that emotional eating is a common struggle, and you’re not alone in your journey to break free from its grip. By planning and preparing, identifying triggers, practicing mindful eating, seeking support, and practicing self-compassion, you can reclaim control over your eating habits and nourish both your mind and body in a more balanced and fulfilling way.

Start today (coz before that fresh Monday start, a hot-chocolate Sunday/sundae can come in your way), and watch how your life transforms for the better.

Trigger warnings –raw, vulnerable, and honest account, an insightful look at a struggle that is still struggling!

A Personal Account of Emotional Eating –

Salt and Sugar are a high that take you into a world of taste and away from your present.

I learnt about the power of food in some of my darkest times.

At the time, I did not know of the fancy term ‘emotional eating’ or its psychological and physical effects which would control me and spoil me till my ripe current age.

The more I was judged for my looks and the assumption that it was because I was over-eating or just eating wrong – the more it made me think that something was wrong with me.

Its taken a lot of reading and maturity to understand that I am eating the ‘right’ foods, but the ‘problem’ lies not in the food, but somewhere else.

Being Fat also brings out unsolicited advice from everyone and their aunt. And let’s not even talk about the discrimination and ostracization.

Friends who frown at you when you pour in a single packet of sugar into your coffee—because you ‘should’ drink your coffee without sugar – so what if it tastes like acid going down my throat, that one teaspoon of sugar is what will destroy my organs.

(I know it is not about that one teaspoon, but about sugar (or any other food for that matter) as a whole and what it is doing to your body).

And don’t even get me started on the benefits of black coffee and quitting dairy, wheat, rice, and everything nice!!!

On the face of it, I wanted to say, I know, and I am okay, and I am working on it, and the new/changes/improved me coming soon….

But in the middle of the night when you are awake, worried and see very dim lights, that bag of chips and a book or drama series or movie is an escape – a very welcome one!

Today,

My own laughter has become precious to me – as I hear it so little.

And as right or wrong as it may be, on some days, I am willing to give in to my emotions, and binge-eat to feel good and binge-watch some series to feel good about a life that isn’t mine.

Truly yours, a work in progress.

I thank the lovely  Rakhi Jayashankar and Roma Gupta Sinha who gave me the opportunity and motivation to deep dive into this topic write for their joint venture – Truly Yours Holistic Emotions Blog Hop.