Why are you eating?
Think about how many times you eat for reasons other than to fuel your body.
See if any of these sound familiar…
• Sneaking a candy bar in the middle of the afternoon
• Searching the cupboard when the kids go down for a nap
• Nibbling a free doughnut at the bank
All of these match my definition of emotional eating which is…
Anytime you reach for food when you aren’t physically hungry or needing nutrition
To stop emotional eating, you first have to recognize you’re doing it. Start paying attention to the times you eat when you truly aren’t hungry.
Analyze your habits such as having a bowl of ice cream every night at bedtime or grabbing a few cookies every time you get off the phone with your mother.
When you start thinking about food, decide whether you’re having a physical need or an emotional one. Before you put anything in your mouth, ask yourself, “Is this hunger or a desire to eat?”
If you’re having a desire to eat, catch yourself on the spot and ask, “What’s going on here? What’s making me want to eat right now?”
Today’s assignment (my answers are in blue)
1. Make a sign that says, “Is this hunger or a desire to eat?” List a few places where you could post it as a reminder.
I made a big sign that said this, and put it on my refrigerator. It’s already helping me catch my nighttime food cravings that have nothing to do with hunger.
2. Whenever you want to eat something, pull out the sign. Then decide if you need fuel or if your food desire is related to your emotions. Record some of your experiences with this.
When I really pay attention to this, I can identify a lot of times when my eating has nothing to do with hunger. As some of you know, I start looking for a cookie mid-afternoon. I’ve changed that habit by keeping my protein bars close by and using that as a nice afternoon treat that actually gives me better fuel than a cookie.
3. Make a list of situations or places where you are most likely to do emotional eating. Note any patterns or specific times when you struggle with this.
Yup, it’s those cookies again. I’m going to start tracking what’s going on when I get a cookie craving and see if I can figure out any patterns or emotions at those times.
Excerpted from Day 51 in the book 100 Days of Weight Loss