21 Sep 2014 Emotional eating

by Lauren Ramoly

Have you ever tried to feed a baby that is full? It cannot be done. In infancy, our hunger cues are very much intact, but as we age we lose this valuable instinct. A baby will eat only if they are hungry and only until they are satisfied. Not full, but satisfied.

One of the reasons adults have a hard time limiting their intake is because we associate emotions with eating. We eat for a variety of reasons: “I’m sad, I’m happy, I’m lonely, I’m stressed, I’m bored” — the list goes on and on.

What should we do about this dilemma of eating for every reason under the sun? The key is to recognize your triggers and plan accordingly. Think of some substitutions to use in place of food; for instance doing a hobby when you are bored or calling a friend.

If you are stressed, you could go for a walk, read or listen to music to get some “zone out” time. You may try journaling or prayer to help release some of your stress. Yoga and meditation are also helpful during stressful times. Try to find a quiet place in your house and practice deep breathing techniques and imagine yourself being somewhere calm and peaceful like the beach. Getting adequate exercise and sleep can also help combat stress and anxiety.

I have often asked patients to keep a food diary to identify emotional eating. They are asked to write down what they ate, the portion size, the time and the emotions experienced. This can be an insightful tool if you are trying to lose weight. It will help you see trends with specific emotions and habits of overeating. Once you recognize what triggers overeating, it is easier to make conscious decisions about your behavior and how you will handle those triggers. Often, we are not fully aware of our behavior, so anything we can do to bring awareness to our eating habits can be beneficial.

I tell patients to “set yourself up for success.” If you put junk food in your house, guess what, you will eat junk food. If you are eating for emotional reasons then at least you can have healthy foods to snack on like fruit or vegetables.

Never go to the grocery store when you are hungry or upset; you will come home with all kinds of fattening food.

You don’t want to totally deprive yourself of your favorite or comfort foods, but it is important to plan out when you have these foods. If you have made good food choices throughout the day or week then having a reasonable portion of a beloved food is not a big deal. You need to be in control of your actions. The more you plan ahead, the more successful you will be in maintaining a healthy body weight.

Over the years one of the hardest things for me is finding a substitute for food as a reward. If I have a bad day at work or I studied really hard for a test, I feel like I deserve a treat — preferably one with sugar. Food is cheap, so it can be difficult to come up with alternative rewards that are as inexpensive, but there are some substitutes such as buying a new book, renting a movie or downloading some new music. I have also started using a big reward at the end of a large accomplishment and skipping the smaller rewards along the way.

When I do the smaller things, such as writing a paper or taking a test, I remind myself of the bigger reward to come, such as getting a massage after finals or when a big project at work is finished.