Stel Coombe Heath Wholesome Lifestyle Project

Stel Coombe Heath Wholesome Lifestyle Project

If you’re someone who eats when you’re stressed, depressed or anxious, you’re not alone. According to psychiatrist Phillipa Hay,“Around once a week, one in 10 Australians engages in some form of emotional eating, binge eating or out-of-control eating,” Additional research has shown that around 40 percent of people turn to food when faced with stress. If this sounds like you, then it’s time to make a change! 

Here are five resolutions that can help emotional eaters take control of their relationship with food:

  1. Get in touch with your emotions: 

Learn to identify and understand your emotions. This will help you figure out what triggers your emotional eating.

We have never been taught to cope with our emotions so it’s only natural for us to find ways to avoid them. 

When I work with my clients in the Food Freedom Program, we build a toolbox of emotional coping tools. We first learn why we turn to food in the first place, we get to the root of the emotional eating trigger (I call these emotional wounds). 

We then learn how to find healthy ways to express these emotions so that they don’t keep us falling into emotional eating traps.

  1. Find other ways to cope:

you can learn how to control your emotions without eating like you do now.

Once you know what sets off your emotional eating, find other coping mechanisms to deal with those emotions. This could include things like journaling, talking to a friend, or going for a walk.

Instead of turning to food when you’re feeling stressed or anxious, try other ways of calming yourself down–like taking a walk, going for a run, or practicing yoga.

When you feel sad or lonely, reach out to friends and family members instead of relying on food as your support system.

If you feel angry or frustrated at something in your life (or someone else’s), take action by working on solving the problem rather than eating.

  1. Be mindful of your eating:

Pay attention to when you’re eating and why. This will help you catch yourself before you start emotionally eating.

Paying attention to the taste, texture and smell of your food can help you appreciate it more and eat less. Savor each bite and savor the experience of eating itself.

  1. Make time for yourself:

Stress and anxiety can trigger emotional eating. Taking some time out for yourself, whether it’s meditation, yoga, reading or just taking a bath, can help you relax and reduce stress levels.

Get enough sleep every night.It’s hard to make healthy choices when you’re tired and cranky. That’s why getting a good night’s rest is crucial for emotional eaters who want to take control of their eating habits.

  1. Practice self-compassion:

Be gentle with yourself during this process. Change is hard, and you’re likely to slip up at times. Just remember that you’re worth the effort and keep going.

If you find yourself eating when you’re not hungry, or experiencing cravings that are out of control, it might be time to seek professional help. If emotional eating is interfering with your daily life, consider seeking professional help from a dietitian, therapist or emotional eating recovery coach. 

I specialise in helping people understand their emotions, including those related to food cravings and have many resources available to support you, please book a quick 20-minute call with me so that I can help you get started. https://wholesomelifestyleproject.com/work-with-me/lets-get-started/