Is Emotional Eating Making You Fat?

Some people eat only when they are hungry andeating can lead to serious eating disorders like
stop when they have had enough. These are theanorexia and bulimia, which can be life threatening.
lucky ones, people who stay trim and thin withoutHOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOU ARE AN
effort. For them food is simply a source ofEMOTIONAL EATER?
nourishment and energy.Do you eat when you are not hungry? Are you
Other people eat to satisfy inner emotional needsobsessed with food - do you think excessively
and they don't stop eating when they have hadabout when you plan to eat, or find yourself
enough. Are you one of these people? Do youconcentrating on not eating?
eat even when you don't need nourishment andDo you alternately diet and binge, and then fell
energy? Do you eat to feel good, or to relieveguilty? This is a strong indication of emotional
emotional pain or discomfort? This often leads toeating.
serious weight problems, so read on.Do you purge excess food by throwing up or use
Part of the problem is the role that food plays inlaxatives? Do you exercise compulsively? These
your life - a role of comfort and entertainment.behaviors are bulimic and are very dangerous to
Culturally and instinctively we prepare and serveyour health.
foods to comfort those who have experiencedIf you are in the habit of eating to feel better,
loss, to celebrate joy or to show friendship andthen you might want to find out the source of
love.your emotional eating and do something about it.
But the major part of this problem is the wayIn a study of 3,500 people, women suffering
you were raised; the things that happened to youfrom moderate depression or anxiety ate an
when you were a child that concerned food. Thisaverage of 118 extra calories each day. That
includes the use of food or candy as a reward,could cause a weight gain of 12 pounds over just
the things that the grownups said about food, the1 year.
withholding of food as a punishment, the lack ofHOW DO YOU OVERCOME EMOTIONAL
food in some families, and the eating habits of theEATING?
adults who served as examples for you.Emotional eating is caused by using food as a way
WHAT IS EMOTIONAL EATING?to handle emotional situations. Dieting is not
Emotional eating is when a person turns to foodrecommended, as it can actually create more
as a way to deal with feelings. These feelings canproblems. When you are unable to stay on your
be pain, or anxiety, or boredom, or jealousy, ordiet you suffer guilt feelings that can only be
joy, or any other feeling. Emotional eating alsosoothed with more food and in turn, more guilt.
involves obsession with food, weight and dieting.What is needed is an approach that deals with
Emotional eaters use food to avoid dealing withyour basic emotional issues.
feelings, or to temporarily relieve unpleasantInstead of trying to focus on what you are
feelings. Unfortunately their eating often leads toeating, you need to learn new skills to deal with
guilt which can only be soothed by more eating,stressful emotions. This can require the help of a
or by restrictive dieting, excessive exercise orPersonal Coach or Psychotherapist. There are also
purging.many books on the subject, as well as audio
Emotional eaters are often obsessive about theirprograms, self hypnosis programs, and many
weight and how closely they stay with their diettypes of instructional materials. Basically, you need
plan. In this case they will panic when their weightto find replacements for the comfort that food
goes just above their planned maximum. They willnow provides. You need to put food in its rightful
eat only certain foods, and often have anplace and learn healthy eating habits. There is a lot
extremely restrictive diet. This type of emotionalof help available.