Emotional Eating and Weight Gain: How to Stop it

Emotional eating and weight gain are closely linked. This article will emphasize on how emotional eating results in overeating and finally weight gain. You begin to eat when you are anxious, frustrated, bored, angry, sad, lonely or even when you want to celebrate something. During these emotional eating episodes the foods chosen are fatty, salty, sweet and/or high in calories.

How can you stop these emotional binges? This is a very unhealthy cycle and needs proper tackling. The first step is awareness. One of the best tools to help you gain awareness about your eating patterns is to keep a food diary.

In addition to when and what you eat, record of how you are emotionally feeling when you eat must also be made in the diary. Once you consciously begin distinguishing physical hunger from emotional hunger you will need techniques to help him deal with your emotions. 'Sort out your feelings', recommend doctors. Instead of munching on a bag of chips without thought, you must take some time out to sort through your feelings.

Boredom: Almost everyone experiences this emotion at one time or another. You must select any activity or engage in some physical activity.

Loneliness: You must get together with, call or write to a relative or friend, join an organization or get involved in one's community.

Depression/sadness: You must try to identify the reason for your depression. Once you identify it, you must try putting your feeling into words either in a journal or by talking with a friend.

Anger: You must take some time out and calm yourself down by using relaxation techniques or going for a walk.

Anxiety: First the cause of anxiety must be found by you. If it is caused by coffee or something that you have taken internally, you must try to find a way to correct the situation from happening again.

Stress: You should visualize yourself in a calm relaxing place while taking in slow, deep breaths.

Tiredness: You must take a short nap or get some exercise.

Celebration: By all means you should celebrate! Celebration must include getting together with friends, going to a movie, buying something that you have been wishing or going for nice dancing. You can use your imagination. A celebration does not mean he must include food- and eat....eat... and eat! Or drink...drink....and drink!