UPDATED 02/08/2025
Anyone an emotional eater out there? Have you ever been stressed and all of a sudden crave your favorite food? For me, it’s sweets, like cookies or chocolate. For others, it might be something salty. You could even push it and have an adult beverage. This could be a sign you’re an emotional eater.
If you’re not sure if that term fits you, start to pay attention to your daily habits. You’re most likely an emotional eater if you have the propensity to eat in response to positive or negative emotions. What do you do when you get stressed? Do you dive toward pastries or do you go for a run?
In the past, and occasionally still, I eat poorly. When I graduated college, I got a chance to celebrate with friends and family. We went out, had amazing food and delicious drinks. Did we indulge? Absolutely! I was celebrating a huge milestone. On the other hand, I had a friend get an unexpected promotion and all I wanted to do was celebrate her. Instead, I was jealous and mad that I didn’t have my accomplishments showcased. This time, negative emotions made me dive into a dish. Still today, it could be a bad day at work sets me off and other times it’s someone cutting me off in traffic.
There are so many scenarios when we can face emotions, whether positive or negative. For people like me, it’s a way of coping with what may be too hard to handle. But guess what? Emotional eating is not just about emotions. We could even start eating because we’re bored. Think about it. We’re watching television and your mindlessly eating popcorn. When you’re working on a computer, you might snack on your favorite chips. There are many times we eat because we’re bored too.
After years of investigations, I now have a plan. When I get like this, I keep my brain active. I choose to practice self-care or get in some movement instead of reaching for chocolate. My recommendation to you is to make a list of all your triggers and all the things you could do to take your mind off the stress. If you slip up, it’s ok. Don’t beat yourself up. No matter how stressed you get or how much life gets you down, you’re on a journey. There will be peaks and valleys. Just try to stick to your plan as much as possible. It’s ok to have your cake and eat it too. Remember, it’s all about balance.
