I used to be a big emotional eater! If I was bored, I’d eat. If I was stressed, I’d eat. If I was upset, depressed etc., I’d eat. And I never reached for the healthy snacks, just all the crap! Processed foods, sweets, salty snacks and bad for you beverages.
This is extremely hard habit to kick. I didn’t realized how bad of an emotional eater I was until I had to stop snacking completely to beat breast cancer!
I’m not going to lie, I had a couple of break downs not being able to snack. Imagine hearing the words, ‘you have cancer,’ then not being able to eat those emotions, or any other emotions you’ll experience the next few months!
This was my experience. I really wanted to reach for some comfort food, A LOT. I just had to psych myself out and tell myself, I cheat, I die.
After a couple of months, and my second emotional break down, I realized I was not going to kick my bad eating habits until I rid myself of emotional eating.
I put together a list of some things I did that might help if emotional eating is hindering your health.
Tips to Help Curb Emotional Eating
When you feel like some comfort food or reach for that snack try the following:
- Take care of the physical… are you really hungry or maybe just thirsty – drink a glass of water then see if you still want that snack
- Write down how you are feeling, then what you are craving
- Get to the source of why you are feeling what you are feeling
- Find the emotion and release it
If you’re overeating due to emotions, stress, depression, anxiety etc., and want to stop, you can. If I can do it, you can! Sign up for a coaching session where I can help you better understand your relationship with comfort food, be more mindful of your eating choices, and give you the knowledge and support you need to curb emotional eating.
