How To Stop Emotional Eating

100% Stop emotional eating

Emotions are fickle. One day you wanna cry yourself to sleep and the next you’re singing along to U2’s “IT’S A BEAUTIFUL DAY…” while hanging out the window of a limo with friends… too specific? Ok.

Emotions aren’t bad, they’re just changeable. So let’s understand WHY we overeat.

STRESS

Maybe it’s your boss pushing a work deadline, financial limits restricting you café addiction or your toddlers following you into the toilet (what's up with that?); stress causes us to overeat.

Your stress causes you to crave a dopamine release to ease the pressure. High calorie processed foods offer dopamine releases, especially sugar-coated treats! When you fall for this trap 2+ times your body thinks “when I’m stressed food is the answer”!

You’ve formed a habit.

BOREDOM

Here’s another dopamine trigger. In an overstimulated world we crave constant energy. We pick up our phone, a cookie, alcohol, or even drugs! But your desire for comfort is not bad, humans need positive energy! But making food a solution is hazardous.

Once a habit is formed your dopamine hit triggers before you eat the cookie. All you have to do to receive dopamine is think about cookies! Great hey? NOOOO. Because if you don’t get the cookie you experience a dip. You feel worse.

But that’s not all. If you relapse your brain throws a brain party and gives you another dopamine dump to re-entrench your habit. BOOM! And your hooked to cookies again.

This is why habit change is a science. It’s about reprogramming your brain, not simply pushing harder. So how can you change?

“Mental strength is the ability to recognise emotions, but not be controlled by them. To choose to respond based on your highest values not your strongest impulses.”

 

• Change your environment to break the sequence of events.

Know what your triggers are and get rid of them.

If you keep reaching for chips, burn the chips on a sacrificial alter. If you keep eating cookies, throw them to the neighbours dog (but not raisin or chocolate ones coz that’s bad for them)!

You can read more about this and the Ulysses Pact on a previous blog/podcast.

• Create a backup plan.

Sometimes broccoli and lettuce don’t cut it when you reverse your car into a garbage truck. So instead of stopping by the pizza shop on the way home, find a medium ground.

I use granola or rice noodles. These are my halfway-house options that don’t kill me (like pizza does). It’s my backup plan.

• Eat enough food.

When you’re hungry you’re gonna feel worse. Eat more good food, potatoes, rice, beans, vegies, no cookies. When you’re satisfied on good stuff you’re less likely to WANT to binge.

When you have nutrients your body relaxes and you can reprogram your dopamine fix to something healthier like running, gym, Netflix or origami with green tea!