Emotional eating (emotional eating) is a way we find to regulate emotions, it is when we use food for the purpose in addition to nourishing and bringing physical satisfaction. It is worth mentioning that it is not necessarily a bad thing and we all do it from time to time!
The act of eating, culturally and by nature, symbolizes comfort. We often have valid reasons for emotional eating (celebrating, eating something that we enjoy very much, that refers to a memory). The most important thing is to honor this moment, without guilt or shame. But for many this is not something easy and involves bad feelings.
My idea with this post is to explain a little more about what is behind emotional eating, when we should really worry and what tools can help us in this process. In addition, let’s talk about a point that generates many doubts: is it compulsion or exaggeration?
Come with me and this post will help you!
What can lead to emotional eating?
Many factors can lead to emotional eating, among them: personal experiences and associations with food, cultural patterns, social influences, personal stress relief strategy, ability to regulate emotions (soothing pain through food pleasure or restriction to sensation of control), consequence of restrictive diets and physical factors (sleeping inadequate, dehydration, malnourished).
It is very important to understand that, really, the act of eating is capable of bringing relief and comfort, but it is essential to understand that this relief is momentary, it does not solve any deeper issues that can be behind this habit, so it is not sustainable.
When and what should we be alerted to:
- When emotional eating is accompanied by a feeling of shame, guilt and sadness.
- when it becomes a habit to deal with unwanted emotions – and with that I decrease personal awareness because we do not face problems in depth.
- It is often the only mechanism to deal with emotions.
- It can be associated with both exaggeration and neglect of hunger.
- disconnects us from our real signs of hunger and satisfaction.
Let’s understand the difference between compulsion and exaggeration?
This is a very important point to clarify! I realize in my calls that the difference between compulsion and exaggeration is not always clear. Excessive consumption of some food or at some occasion is part of the reality of all of us, on the other hand, compulsion signals that it is necessary to look at it more carefully. Shall we better understand this difference?
The binge eating It is characterized by the exaggerated consumption of food in an average period of 2 hours and happens at least twice a week. During the episodes, the person feels out of control and disconnected from the internal signals (such as a feeling of satiety). It usually stops eating when there is very large physical discomfort. These events are accompanied by a large feeling of failure, guilt, depression and anguish. Often these episodes happen in a hidden way and even the traces are hidden.
Exaggeration, on the other hand, is a more punctual situation. It happens when, for example, at an event or on some occasion you ate beyond your satiety, it usually happens with some food you like a lot, it’s the famous “kicked the bucket” common in the diet culture where the rules are countless and make anything look like an exaggeration..
We can call these events Mindless Eating That is, when we eat without presence.
*Note that: Well-fed body does not feel the need for continuous exaggerations, that’s why restrictive diets are so common triggers.
tools and strategies
A good starting point is to question yourself and preferably with therapy. We need to understand what we’re hungry for. of a compliment? of relaxation? of better relationships? of a nice bath? A good conversation, exercise?
We have to recognize our real need. And this is a process. The anxiety that often accompanies the eat emotional It is related to the desire to live in the future, anticipation of fear or even expectation for something good. And we are often really in the mood to eat something specific, without that physical hunger and we must honor that will, with presence and without the internal whip. Guilt is a big distraction.
I see frequent emotional eating as a personal disconnection when our body and mind are not in tune with our true essence or our needs. If by chance you identified with what was said, know that you are not in it alone. See below my suggestions to seek a greater connection with yourself!
What tools do I recommend in this process:
- ask for professional help. Professional psychologist and if possible a nutritionist with a more gentle and behavioral nutrition approach. Often this support is essential and necessary for its development and has nothing more incredible and liberating than recognizing and accepting that sometimes we also need help.
- Develop emotional intelligence (Understand, identify, regulate and express our emotions). important to know qWhen we are emotionally activated and know how to recognize the anxiety to be able to deal with it in other ways.
- Practice Mindful Eating (Meeting between nutrition, spirituality and psychology). it’s cOmer with mindfulness, with our real needs, guided by the inner signs and an individual sense of well-being. The objective is to have more presence and awareness of choices related to well-being. Mindful Eating proposes a lifestyle that is more respectful to itself, is about trat the body with kindness and love, even if it is not in the way you want. We only change what we respect. it’s notAvegar in less judgment and stress.
- Connect with you! Take care of your body carefully, respecting your limits and believing in the power it has to communicate with you. Increase your self-care techniques. Focus on your process and not the final destination, use the challenges as opportunities for growth.
- journaling – Undoubtedly one of the most powerful and simple tools to help us on our path of self-knowledge. In other words: it is the habit of putting on paper (or digital notepad) your feelings, fears, expectations, frustrations, transcribing challenging situations, happy moments. This exercise often makes it clearer and more evident what is behind our emotions and consequently some habits.
- occupy the mind! Read a book, take a walk, take a relaxing bath, learn to cook (and increase your connection to food), Try to spend your energy on things that make sense and fill you. We often resort to food as a strategy to escape boredom and idleness. Create other mechanisms to occupy your time, without a doubt in the end will make you much better and bring a rewarding feeling!
- Mainly self-compassion and love to your process!