If you tend to eat even though you are full when you experience negative emotions, we can talk about "emotional eating" behavior. The purpose of eating
behavior here is; It arises not from a physiological need, but from the need to control emotions.
Since our emotions do not prefer eating, where does this emotional eating come from?
Emotional eating is a learned behavior. Especially during childhood, the family environment in which you grew up has a great impact, for example; If you are allowed to take a break from your responsibilities (such as doing homework, preparing for the exam
) only at meal time, this may have taught you that you should turn to eating
eating behavior.
What causes emotional eating behavior?
Negative emotions and coping difficulties are the reasons that push you to emotional behavior.
What makes you feel stuck or helpless in your life, sad or upset? Events that make you feel angry, anxious or stressed, not being able to reach a solution on an issue you care about, experiencing relationship problems, leaving a stressful work day, losing a loved one, intense anger
Or experiencing anxiety automatically activates the learned behavior, causing you to find yourself in front of the refrigerator even though you feel full.
What about emotional eating behavior? What steps can be taken to change?
DEFINE THE PROBLEM: Is food really what you need? Or is it your need to
express your feelings?
FOCUS ON THE SOLUTION, NOT THE PROBLEM: after identifying the problem you are experiencing,
“ whatever I could do to get a solution ?” Ask solution-oriented questions such as.
ACCEPT INSTEAD OF REJECT: Accept that there are also negative emotions and that it is natural to experience these
emotions.
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CREATE ALTERNATIVES: Develop alternative options that you can put into action immediately when you want to engage in
eating behavior, for example;
taking a walk, calling a friend, watching a movie, breathing. to like doing exercise.
Emotional Eating is not a solution, it is just a procrastination behavior.
If your Emotional Eating behavior If you think this is the case, you can get a solution by getting support from an expert.
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