Are You a Victim of Overeating or Emotional Eating?

Everyone must eat to survive and we all learned about the food pyramid in elementary school, however; some people eat when they are emotional and others eat simply to be eating. Are you an emotional eater or an over-eater? Do you know the signs or the symptoms?

An emotional eater feeds on their feelings and is not always eating to satisfy the hunger that their stomach feels. Emotional eaters are trying to satisfy the emotions their body is feeling.

Emotional eaters may run for the cupboards for chips, if they are bored or perhaps ice cream or cookies if they are having a sad day. This type eating is not satisfying the body but it is trying to satisfy the mind and emotions.

Overeaters simply [over] indulge. Food calls to them from the fridge or the cupboard. It's like alcohol calls on an alcoholic! Food calls on the over-eater to indulge.

You may be asking yourself if you are one or the other. How do you know? What are the symptoms?

Foods that are full of sugar, fat and salt trigger sensors in our brain. The experience of eating those high content foods tricks our body and brain into wanting to eat more to repeat the euphoric feeling. This type food brings a reward to your brain and causes cravings. The cycle that ensues is simply overeating. Overeating then leads to other health issues such as weight gain which; in turn, leads to more adverse health issues.

On the other hand, an emotional eater focuses on comfort food. The person eating is trying to satisfy an emotional need, not a physical hunger need. Emotional eaters may not experience physical hunger.

Comfort food for women is typically chocolate and cookies; for men it may be pizza and steak. Emotional hunger comes on sudden where physical hunger comes on slowly. Emotional eating can also leave a person with a sense of guilt. The brain knows the body is not hungry but the emotional level at the moment is forcing the body to keep eating.

The key to not being an over-eater or an emotional eater is to recognize the symptoms and stay in touch with your body. If you are not physically hungry-don't eat. A person should recognize their state of mind as well. If you are upset, nervous, or distraught try focusing on something other than food.

Physical hunger comes naturally. It is the body's way of surviving. Overeating and emotional eating are not natural. If you find yourself in one of these categories try taking a walk the next time you want to reach for the popcorn or the second helping of mashed potatoes.

Source: WebMD - Healthy Eating and Diet