Stress is the main reason for craving unhealthy calories. In the United States of America, the majority of adults are obese. Research suggests that 38% of the obese population represent an increase in eating pattern and they are connected to stress. 67% of adults skip meals while undergoing stress.
Emotional eating isn’t a new concept. If you’re experiencing emotional eating, you must wonder why the sudden change in eating behavior?
This article will help you understand five factors that contribute to emotional eating.
1. Boredom
What do you do when you’re bored? In the digital age, people are conditioned to be stimulated and entertained. When boredom strikes, it’s common that people engage in emotional eating. Commonly, people use food as a source of pleasure; which is unhealthy.
If you’re not hungry stop emotional eating. Alternative activities like walking, jogging, spending time with friends can suppress the feelings of boredom. If boredom induces emotional eating for you, then be alert and identify boredom. You can try alternative fun activities.
2. Sadness
No one wants to experience depression and anxiety. The discomfort of sadness calls for the replacement of emotions. People commonly turn to food to get rid of these emotions. Food can temporarily replace negative emotions. It’s commendable to embrace the feelings of sadness to avoid chronic stress.
Replacing any sad feeling is unhealthy. It doesn’t allow the person to confront their feelings and emotions. It’s vital to get to the root of what’s causing the problem.
3. Stress
People commonly connect increased appetite to anxiety. If you’re wondering why people eat more when they’re under stress, this is because science suggests that when under stress, people produce more cortisol. Cortisol increases appetite due to the fight mode.
As a result, people crave more carbohydrates and calories. If you’re struggling with emotional eating while under stress, don’t be too hard on yourself. The best strategy to handle stress is through deep breathing and physical exercise.
4. Unawareness
Emotional eating takes place when someone is unaware of how they are feeling. Therapists term the nature of eating as unconscious eating. Stop emotional eating by being mindful of what you’re consuming. In the beginning, it may seem challenging. However, with time, self-adjustment can help you get there.
Mindful eating is essential and healthy. It helps you pick on quality diets with nutritional value.
5. Anger:
Many people don’t know they carry bitterness and anger within them. The behavior is typical for people who have difficulty expressing emotions. Such people express anger in different ways. One common approach is food; they use it to suppress their feelings.
Such emotional habits are not healthy. It’s recommended that you engage in physical exercise or scream into your pillow. The strategies are less harmful and will help calm your mind.
Final Thoughts:
If you’re struggling with stress, anger, or boredom, it’s essential to stop emotional eating. Hence, it will cost you physical fitness and health issues. Emotional eating helps you get rid of tension temporarily. It can cause health issues, in the long run.
