Tips to Avoid Comfort Food Eating
Emotional eating has been a hot topic for at least 15 years when it comes to weight loss. It is not a new term. Advertisers for mac and cheese products have been touting them as comfort foods for years. Chocolate, ice cream, and mashed potatoes with lots of gravy are just some of the comfort foods we consume.
Emotional eating is a term they now use to identify another reason why you may be overweight. It's because you eat when you are stressed, bored or feeling down in the dumps. Eating is a way to suppress those negative feelings. Food becomes your friend and calms you down.
The problem is when food becomes your friend you eat too much, especially high-caloric, sweet, salty and fatty foods. Women are more prone to be emotional eaters than men. Being told to eat less and exercise doesn't work with emotional eaters.
The good news, according to the emotional eating experts, is that if you can find out what triggers that emotion you may be able to stop the eating.
The bad news is if you're going through a divorce or your job is stressful you won't be able to just cut off the emotions or the eating. Those are long term stresses.
Practice mindful eating. Pay focused attention without making judgment about what you're eating and when you eat it. When you focus you become more aware of the feels and thoughts connected with food and eating.
Know your triggers. For the next few days write down what you eat, how much you eat, when you eat, how you feel when you eat and how hungry you are. Over time you may see patterns that show negative eating patterns and triggers to avoid.
Don't keep unhealthy food around. Take the salty high fat content food out of your pantry and frig. Keep in mind that foods don't have to be drowning with calories and fat to be comforting. A bowl of tomato soup or a cup of hot tea can be chosen.
Exercise regularly and get enough sleep. When your body and mind are well rested and fit you can manage your moods more better!
Figure out how to manage your stress in healthy ways. Learn to develop skills to lower your stress activity. Or you may want to do something aerobically which may also be settling.
I invite you to find more information on successful approaches for a healthy lifestyle by claiming your free report and subscribing to the blog http://www.secretstohealthandaging.com
Ruthan Brodsky has been a free lance writer with a special niche in health and aging for more than 20 years. Her passion is letting people know they can make choices about their environment and their life that will impact their health for years to come.
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September 3rd, 2009 at 4:40 am
I had tried for years to loose weight. Even volunteered for pharmaceutical weight loss drug test (it did not work). Finally, over last 2 years, I have lost 70 lbs. Went from obese to normal range (BMI). Changed what I ate, gave up (most all) comfort foods (ice cream, soft drinks, chocolate). And changed quantity of eating. For example, “no super-sizing”. If I eat fast food, I get a normal portion, or just a burger, no fries, and a bottled water, no soft drink.) After changing portion consumption, eventually began to have “full” feeling with smaler portions. But the prime moving factor was motivation, I had a special motivation.