Diet Trap: Emotional Eating
Eating for reasons that have more to do with your emotional hunger than your physical needs, a phenomenon dubbed
emotional eating, can wreak havoc on an otherwise healthy diet. Emotional eaters may eat when bored (as a means of entertainment), when upset (instead of facing difficult emotions), or when generally dissatisfied with life (to fill a void). All these extra calories add up, especially when the grazing fare is junk food instead of carrot sticks.
Diet Tip: Deal With Your Emotions
First — and this may sound obvious, but often isn’t — you should get into the habit of always asking yourself if you’re
really hungry when you’re reaching for food. If you find that your hunger is more emotional than physical, take a few minutes to explore the feelings behind the pangs. One of the best ways to do this is on paper, via
journaling, which has been shown to be a very effective tool in dealing with emotions, brainstorming solutions, and enhancing overall health. Once you address the underlying issues, food won’t have the same pull, and you probably won’t feel tempted as often.(You can also read more on the
benefits of journaling and
journaling techniques.)
