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    Home » Be Healthier » How to stop emotional eating: 7 strategies for success

    How to stop emotional eating: 7 strategies for success

    Published: Mar 18, 2022 · Last Modified: Mar 18, 2022 by Caren · This post may contain affiliate links

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    emotional eating strategies

    If you reach for a snack to distract yourself from uncomfortable feelings like anger or boredom, then you may suffer from emotional eating.  In this article, I share 7 strategies on how to stop emotional eating so you can take control of your eating habits and your life.

    how to stop emotional eating

    Emotional Eating: Why we do it

    A reader emailed me today complaining about her midsection and said she wasn’t proud of the weight she had gained.  She had a problem with emotional eating and was looking for any advice I could share.

    I gave her my standard response, which is to eat less bread and bread-like foods, as this is generally what people turn to when they’re looking for comfort.  It could also be chocolate or potato chips, but the culprit is always the same - carbohydrate-rich foods with lots of sugar.

    How to stop comfort eating

    The reality is that this type of food has addictive qualities because for a short time it will boost serotonin levels (thereby providing a temporary sense of comfort), but just like that warm, relaxing sensation that comes with a glass of wine, the moment will soon pass and all you’re left with is a bunch of calories consumed and a mushy middle.

    7 Strategies for Combating Emotional Eating

    1. The best way to combat comfort eating is to cut out addictive foods as much as possible (ie baked goods).  If you can’t let them go, experiment with low carb, sugar-free baking.  It’s not a perfect solution, but it’s a great start.  At least you control what goes into your mouth this way.  Then slowly ease off on even the low carb treats.
    2. Add a little more healthy fats in your daily diet (olive oil, unsalted nuts, and seeds, avocado, coconut oil etc).  The fats will help with satiety and control hunger.
    3. Eat more protein.  Protein is highly thermogenic, which means it takes the body longer to digest than carbohydrates, giving you a sense of fullness.  While you don’t want to go overboard on protein, up to a gram per pounds of body weight can help you manage weight and preserve lean muscle.
    4. Sleep more.  I talk about this so much, I feel like a broken record, but sleep impacts two hunger hormones that can keep you hungry and craving all kinds of comfort food if you don’t get enough z’s.  If you’re craving carbs and you always feel hungry, chances are, this is a big reason for it.
    5. Find other ways to comfort yourself.  You’re reaching for food because you want to soothe yourself.   Why is that? When you see yourself turning to food to soothe, ask yourself what it is you’re trying to solve.  Whatever the source of the stress and anxiety, a bag of Oreos probably won’t fix it.
    6. Find a way to destress.  Meditation is starting to sound like a mainstream band-aid for everything that ails you, but there’s a good reason for that.  Studies show that a regular meditation practice can help control unhealthy eating habits.
    7. Get help.   There’s no shame in therapy, or self-help methods like EFT, Future Self Journaling or the Hoffman Process.  I think we can all agree that having a therapist on speed dial is about as common and needed as having a great hair stylist.  It’s just a good thing to do for yourself and if you happen to think you’re above getting professional help, then you’re misinformed.  None of us are.

    Look for the root cause of your emotional eating

    The most impactful thing you can do as an emotional eater is to understand the root of the issue you’re trying to solve with food.  Regardless whether you’re lonely, stressed, angry or overwhelmed, food will not solve your problem. It may numb the pain for a brief moment, but the results of disordered eating can only add to the stress you’re already facing.
    Caren

    Caren is a certified yoga teacher, fitness instructor and ADHD Coach.  As the founder of The Fit Habit, she shares ADHD-friendly self-care, food & fitness inspiration, along with practical ways to foster mind + body wellness.

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    Hi, I'm Caren

    I'm an ADHD coach & wellness expert with a mind that runs faster than a quick-dry nail polish. I have figured out how to master my ADHD brain through fitness, healthy eating and self-care and I get a thrill out of helping other women like me, do the same. You may or may not have ADHD, but somewhere after 40, most of us end up wondering why our jeans are tight and our brains are foggier than summer in San Francisco. If that's you, I'm here to help. Welcome!

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