How do you know if emotional eating is a problem? If you’re reading this blog post it’s likely something you’ve asked yourself.
Emotional eating is normal. One some level we are all emotional eaters. The connection between food and our emotions is ingrained in us from birth.
Food is keeps us alive and it’s a way we were nurtured. So, it’s no surprise that food it so intricately connected to our emotional wellbeing.
The many reasons we eat.
Food is essential to our survival. It fuels us. It’s a way we give and receive love. It’s a focal point with social connections. Food can act as a reward and it can make us feel better when we’re not feeling well.
There’s nothing wrong with eating food for pleasure, for nurturing, for comfort or for reward. There’s also nothing wrong with using food as a crutch when stressed.
The problem comes if you’ve developed an unbalanced relationship with food. When the warm fuzzy feelings you get from eating are over shadowed by unhealthy habits, accompanied by guilt and shame.
If emotional eating has become an unhealthy habit in your life it will make you feel stuck, frustrated and unhappy.
What can you do about it?
There are many tools and techniques you can use to help curb emotional eating.
Since emotional eating is often a stress response, stress relieving techniques are popular tools to help. If you’re able to manage your stress, you’re less likely to turn to food to do it for you.
Mindful eating practices can also help. Taking a moment to check in and be present in your body can help you make a healthier decision about what you really need in that moment. Asking yourself, what need am I trying to fulfill right now? Is there another way that need can be met?
What happens when nothing works?
Knowing what to do isn’t always enough, breaking the pattern of behavior is harder than it sounds!
If this rings true for you then you need to look deeper at the root cause.
Underlying it all is a need that isn’t being met.
Food fulfills so many emotional needs and the path to healing your relationship with food requires an in-depth look at what need food is fulfilling within you.
It’s only once you put the puzzle pieces together and get to the root that you can start to develop a healthier relationship with food.
Making food an enjoyable and nurturing part of your life.
Getting to the root cause is the only way to create real, lasting change and when you’re not fighting against yourself, health becomes effortless and easy.
