Eating is one of the most basic activities of humans. However, this basic activity has psychological importance as well as biological necessity. When eating behavior is examined psychologically, we can talk about emotional eating in cases where it does not only refer to nutrition. Negative emotions that we have difficulty coping with, such as stress, sadness, loneliness, can lead us to eat our 'emotions'.
In the first days of life, hunger is the earliest "suffering", while being full is the earliest "relief." Babies' first sense of relief is created by hunger. They feel relieved of physical discomfort through breastfeeding. Thus, satisfying hunger is deeply linked to the feeling of being good and safe. As life progresses, this bond can become a behavioral pattern that people use to escape from negative emotions in the face of problems. Eating to cope with a difficulty when we are psychologically weaker is emotional eating.
People who avoid confronting their problems and do not seek solutions only numb themselves to their problems by eating. First of all, steps should be taken to solve the problems. The first step in combating emotional eating is identifying the feeling of hunger.
There is a difference between physical hunger and emotional hunger:
-
While physical hunger appears gradually, emotional hunger occurs suddenly. , you suddenly feel the need to eat something.
-
Physical hunger can wait, but when you feel emotional hunger, it must be satisfied immediately, you cannot wait.
-
If you are eating with physical hunger, you can stop when you are full, but if you are eating with food due to emotional hunger, you want to continue eating even if you are full.
-
If you are eating because of real hunger, you are open to many options, while when you eat because of emotional hunger, you usually want to continue eating. ; You eat high-calorie foods such as pizza, chocolate, desserts and chips.
In emotional eating, emotions such as stress, sadness and anger that make you want to eat; As a result of high-calorie foods consumed after eating, it turns into feelings of regret, guilt and failure.
How can I stop emotional eating?
Realize the moments when you eat emotionally. Focus on the emotions you feel before the moments when you want to eat something even though you are not hungry. It will help you to write down your feelings before eating something.
Rate your hunger between 0 and 10 when you feel the need to eat. If your hunger level is low and you want to eat just because you are bored or stressed, drink a glass of water first and try to delay eating for 10 minutes.
Use your different coping channels in the face of problems. Make a list of what you can do as an alternative when you want to eat even though you are not hungry. These activities should be activities that relax you (listening to music, walking, etc.).
If you cannot cope with the desire to eat, choose healthy options instead of high-calorie foods. consume. You can include foods such as green leafy vegetables, fish and almonds, which are known to reduce stress, in your list.
Increase the activities you enjoy in your life. Be careful to exercise. It will make it easier for you to cope with your negative emotions.
Read: 0
