Emotional Eating feels Like This.
One of the most, if not the most, difficult part of losing weight is getting a grip on your emotional eating. Even when your heart and mind say yes to losing weight, your hands can seem to have a mind of their own. After a rough day, you may find yourself reaching into that bag of potato chips over and over, until before you know it, the whole bag is gone and you can barely remember what they tasted like.
That’s why it takes so much more than good intentions, will power and information about nutrition and exercise to be successful. The ability to manage difficult situations and feelings effectively—without turning to food and eating—is a necessary foundation for losing the pounds.
The reasons people emotionally eat are all different- some eat out of stress, happiness, loneliness, depression, boredom or any combination of these. The common thread is turning to food instead of facing what is really going on, whatever it may be.
Not everyone can pin point exactly why they emotionally eat. Some people will find themselves standing in front of an open fridge in the middle of the night for no apparent reason whatsoever. However, when you eat out of anything other than pure hunger, you are emotionally eating which can not only pack on the pounds, but keep you from handling the tough situations that are calling for your attention. Are you up in the middle of the night because you are stressed about bills? Can’t get back to sleep and need something to pass the time? Big day at work tomorrow and are nervous for morning to come?
The more you recognize the real issue, the more you will start to realize that eating is definitely not going to help, let alone solve it. It will still be there in the morning, and you will only feel guilty for your midnight indiscretion.