Weight Loss Programs

Emotional eating. Just exactly what is it and can we prevent it in our attempt to achieve weight loss? Emotional eating has been described by some health officials as eating for reasons other than being hungry. We all know when we are hungry because the body gives us physical indications that we need to eat. What occurs with emotional eating is that our emotions are the triggering factor that cause us to eat, not hunger itself. In effect, we are not even hungry and do not have the physical symptoms of hunger, but yet we eat. And we usually overeat! Our emotions are the cause of our eating. And it usually occurs when something is bothering us, or occasionally even when we feel good about something. The distinguishing factor is that we are not hungry physically.

Do we even know when our eating is related to our emotions? Most likely we are aware, but we are also aware that something is not quite right because we are eating and not really hungry. Something is on our mind and we turn to food to help us deal with it. Sometimes we may not want to address what is the cause of our worry which has lead us to the eating, hoping that we will feel better after some food. And we may well feel better, but it is usually short lived, and then our emotions take over again. If we do not deal with our problem or problems the pattern will continue. It’s not difficult to see how emotional eating is a major roadblock for people wanting to achieve weight loss.

If you are attempting to restrict your food intake with the hope of weight loss, maybe we should look at some of the signs of emotional eating. The most obvious sign is that you are eating when your not hungry, and you may have a craving for a particular kind of food, a food that is usually high in calories. Also, emotional eating makes us feel like the “hunger” has to be dealt with immediately with the specific food you are craving. Furthermore, emotional eating may leave you with a feeling of guilt because we know that what we have just done is not good for us. We may have some temporary satisfaction but it is short lived. It is a difficult circle to break but if weight loss is your goal the problem has to be addressed.

If you are aware of the problem of emotional eating and want to overcome it to help you achieve weight loss, there are little things you can do to help. One trick is to drink more water. It fills you up and if you have some before you dig into the food you crave it may help you reduce the amount of food you eat. Another tip is to try and eat some healthy snacks. Be creative with some fruits or vegetables. You’ll be surprised what you can do and how good they can taste. Another helpful tipis to become more active. When you have that urge to eat go for a walk or try any type of exercise. It’ll take your mind of eating and help you burn some calories. Keeping a written record can be extremely helpful when trying to conquer emotional eating. It makes you more aware of what you are eating, when you are eating and why you are eating. Probably one of the most important things you’ll have to do is to address the reasons causing you to eat when you are not even hungry. Deal with the problem and correct it. Sometimes this can be an unpleasant experience but it can be done. Do it. Emotional eating can be overcome and sustained weight loss can be a reality for you.