What emotional eating means
Emotional feeding is not the type of feeding that is taken to satisfy hunger needs but the kind of meal that is eaten to feel perfect about one’s self due to one emotional distress or the other.
This could be attributed to stress at work, home, and or with family. In this case, you will an individual might call for doughnuts because he is sad or orders pizza because she is lonely or in distress.
Often, some people even feed themselves food to feel better when they have mood swings. This may lead to Binge Eating Disorder for some people.
However, this is not an all emergency if you feel eating will make you better from your bad emotions at a particular time. What becomes a worry is when you get stuck on this behavioral pattern or create an addiction out of it.
The truth is no matter how bad your emotions are at a time feeling your stomach does not necessarily take away the void and this, most times results in another bad emotional feeling because you have just gained extra unwanted calories. Some individuals even become agitated when they notice they are getting bigger than usual.
Having said all this, it is possible you take back the control of your life and manage the way you feed yourself when you are emotionally down.
Here are some tips to get out of emotional hunger.
Differentiate emotional hunger from physical hunger
In the case of emotional hunger, you suddenly just become hungry, and this is because of the compelling, overwhelming need to eat instantly. On the other hand, physical hunger does not come with that overwhelming kind feeling because it gradually grows, and the need to eat is not as instant as that of emotional hunger.
Know the specific food you eat when you are emotional
Most times, emotional hunger allows you to crave a particular food that will bring you fulfillment. To find your way out of emotional feeding, you need to know this food.
Often junks are the primary foods for emotional feeding, so make sure you pay attention to these foods and your emotions when eating them to separate emotional feeding from normal, healthy eating.
Getting to know what triggers your emotional feeding
To get out of emotional eating, you will need to understand what triggers you to want to eat when you are going through some certain emotions.
However, some emotional feeding can also be attributed to positive feelings, and this comes in a way that you feel the need to treat yourself right because you have just achieved a great feat or success.
By identifying these feelings or the triggers, you will have solved your emotional feeding problem by half.
Emotional bottling
Bottling up emotions for a long time can become a problem and a trigger to emotional feeling. To deal with this, you are to make sure you let out your feelings in the best way possible. Avoid those things that will allow you to keep emotions to yourself and try not to be alone in times like this.
Always find something to do when you are bored
Feeling of emptiness and boredom can result in emotional feeding, and this will only make it worse if you don’t find a way to fill the void or get lively.
Get alternative ways to feed your emotions
Some individuals do not know how to manage their feelings and such they resent to emotional feeding, and if this continues, it will become a habit that will come with serious repercussions.
The best way to handle this is to get alternative ways to get yourself fulfilled emotionally. Having getting to know your triggers and other stuff resulting in emotional feeding may not be enough.
So, the best advice is to get other things that will satisfy you emotionally, so you won’t have to fall back on emotional feeding.
Get happiness, mix with friends, hang out, order gym kit for home & do exercises, and make sure you don’t keep toxic emotions to yourself.
You may find joy in playing games, reading your favorite books, talking to a beloved family member, or just sleeping the pain off.
Do all this, and you will have control over your feeding again.