Emotional Eating and Overindulgence

Emotional eating is a way of coping. It is most often a way for people to deal with situations that cause them stress. The more stress there is, the more food is consumed. Stress makes your body hold onto fat instead of releasing it. Your body is not able to handle the kinds of stress that occur in today’s world. Stress is basically a sudden demand on the body to adapt. Emotional eating is a way of coping with the excesses.

Stressful biochemical responses are triggered hundreds of times throughout out the day by frustrations in the office, marital strife, repressed rage, bad news on the TV, exposure to microwaves, abnormal electromagnetic fields, fear, alienation, peer pressures, and other stresses. Instead of making high energy physical responses, we are taught to repress our rage, fear and other negative emotions provoked by stress, which does not burn off the powerful hormones.

When toxins enter your body, your body reacts by making fat cells. It's your body’s natural defense to toxic substances.

These potent chemicals quickly break down into various toxic by-products that poison our systems, suppress immunity, and impede other vital functions. Under chronic stress, your body never has a chance to excrete these toxins and restore balance in your body. What do toxins have to do with weight gain?

Toxins are immediately surrounded and captured by fat cells that are deposited in the surrounding tissues. Fat cells keep accumulating and have no where to go if you don’t get rid of them. The more toxins you’re exposed to, the more weight you gain. It’s a vicious cycle unless the cycle is stopped somewhere in the process.

Why Stress Causes Emotional Eating

Cravings - Stress can bring on increased levels of cortisol, known as 'the stress hormone'. Cortisol has a beneficial function in the body, but excessive levels of cortisol can cause a lot of problems in your body. Among other things, high levels of cortisol can create cravings for salty and/or sweet foods. Because these foods are readily available everywhere you look, junk foods are easily obtainable and usually cheaper to buy than healthy foods. This of course is a misconception by most people but one that we’ve bought into.

Nervous Energy - Many people eat out of nervousness or boredom. They munch on junk foods or drink sodas to give them something to do and keep them occupied.

Oral Fixation – Some people become orally fixated when they’re under a lot of stress. Sometimes this leads to nail biting, smoking, or teeth grinding however nervousness can also lead to stuffing your face with junk foods.

Habitual – Emotional eating is attached to memories that revolve around food. For example, parents often reward children with special treats or sweets. This leads to emotional attachments to those foods. There are few things that can be as powerful or rewarding as your favorite food(s). We all seek out the warm fuzzies in life when we’re stressed. Instead of petting an animal or going for a walk to reduce stress, many people opt for junk foods that temporarily make them feel better. Because many people don’t develop more effective coping strategies, this type of emotional eating is very common. Social Indulgence - When people get together, most often the occasions are all about the food that’s going to be there. Birthday parties, social events at the office, drinks after work, etc., are all events that might cause us to consume foods or extra calories, which we ordinarily would not have consumed.

If you have a large family, you may get an overabundance of invitations to food events, such as birthday parties, cookouts, or BBQ’s. The more celebrations you attend, the more you pack on the pounds. When people get together, meetings often center around meals.

Loneliness - Many loners often have food problems. You might soothe tears over a hot fudge sundae, eat a plate of fried appetizers when you’re feeling low, eat a bowl of chips as you think about the fight you had with your boyfriend, or have an oversized serving of ice cream at 3am because you’ve had a bad dream. These bad habits can be especially true of people who don’t have a social network of people to reach out to when they’re feeling depressed. The more they stay alone, the more food they consume in private.

Raw Emotions - Another reason that many people eat is to quiet uncomfortable emotions. This is the top reason for emotional eating. People who are uncomfortable with confrontation may deal with frustrations by eating something fattening, instead of having open communication. Food can take the focus off of anger, resentment, fear, disappointment, frustration, and a host of other emotions we’d sometimes rather not feel. Instead of drowning feelings with alcohol or drugs, people consume more fattening foods looking for those feelings of satisfaction.

While there are many reasons for emotional eating, and although it’s a prevalent fixture in our society, it’s not necessarily good for us. If you’re an emotional eater, it’s important for you to be aware of this, keep an eye on your triggers, and develop some effective stress management techniques and coping skills so that your body stays healthy and you wisely choose the foods you consume. It’s a much better idea to find healthy ways to cope with negative emotions.

Ways to Decrease Emotional Eating

Relaxation Techniques - When you’re under stress, your body produces higher levels of cortisol, a stress hormone that tends to make people crave sweet and salty food. If you’re stressed out on a regular basis and don’t relax some, high levels of cortisol can create junk food cravings, as well as contribute to other health related problems.

Deep breathing is a great relaxation technique that really settles you down. Other relaxation techniques are taking a stroll, watching nature, or simply petting an animal.

Talk To A Friend - There is often one person who is willing to hear you out. Seek out friends who are willing to listen. There are many online forums that discuss feelings. Find the ones that give you the support you need.

Try a Food Journal - Processing your feelings in a journal has been found to have many health benefits beyond mere stress management. However, when food is your enemy, a food journal will help you keep track of what you eat. If you don’t know how much you’re really eating, how can you find ways to cut back? When you feel like reaching for unhealthy food, reach for a pen instead.

Exercise - Getting your body moving is a great way to blow off steam and get your endorphins going. Exercise is a much healthier option than overeating.

Face Your Problems - If you’re using food to vent your feelings, try assertiveness instead. If food is your only treat at a job you hate, try techniques for finding satisfaction at your job, or get a different one. Cut down on the stress in your life and you won’t need food to help you cope.

Deprivation – If you deprive yourself of all unhealthy foods, you will only want them more. Life is about balance. You must learn to balance out the unhealthy foods by eating them less often and eating healthy foods more often. Cakes, candies, and fried foods should be the exception, not the rule. When you eat healthy foods, you feel healthier. When you eat unhealthy foods, you feel like crap!



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