The phrase "emotional eating" refers to eating in response to emotional triggers, such as sadness or boredom, rather than physiological reasons. Numerous factors may trigger emotional eating, such as unemployment, financial strain, medical problems, stress, fatigue and interpersonal conflicts, according to the Mayo Clinic. Since emotional eating can cause weight gain or prevent desired weight loss, a healthy diet that provides appropriate amounts of calories while safeguarding you emotionally can enhance your wellness and your weight.
Function
Diets for emotional eaters aim to promote your wellness and replace negative dietary behaviors, such as eating when you're sad, lonely or frustrated, with positive behaviors, such as going for a walk or expressing your feelings. According to the Mayo Clinic, a suitable diet for emotional eaters encourages sufficient caloric intake, since deprivation can trigger emotional eating, and encourages dietary habits that help to manage your hunger, energy and appetite. In some cases, diets for emotional eaters involve support groups to help ensure your success.
Guidelines
Though the specific guidelines of diets for emotional eaters vary, many abide by similar principles. Geneen Roth, author of "Breaking Free From Emotional Eating," and "Women, Food, God: An Unexpected Path to Almost Anything," suggests that you eat when you are hungry while sitting in a calm environment, free of distraction. She also recommends eating foods you desire and until you feel satisfied. Eating around others can promote self-acceptance and reduce feelings of shame regarding eating. Enjoying your food and eating slowly can also help to reduce emotional eating behaviors.
Helpful Strategies
Having useful strategies in place can promote your dietary success. Keep tempting foods you tend to reach for in times of peak emotions can help, according to the Mayo Clinic. Keeping a food diary that tracks what and how much you eat and drink, as well as comments regarding your mood and behaviors, can heighten your awareness and help you to recognize patterns and habits in need of change. Since changing emotional eating habits can be difficult, be sure to seek support from loved ones or professionals, when necessary. Regular exercise and healthy sleep habits can help to reduce stress, improve your wellness and support mood balance.
Harmful Diets
Numerous diets that address weight loss and emotional eating pose risks. According to the Weight-control Information Network, or WIN, severely low calorie diets and diets that promote rapid weight loss are often rigorous and increase your risk for health problems, such as gallstones and heart abnormalities. Restrictive diets also can trigger overeating, emotional eating and weight gain. To avoid these risks, WIN suggests healthy lifestyle plans rather than fad diets.
Suggestions
A healthy, balanced diet can support your wellness and your weight while helping to reduce emotional eating behaviors. According to WIN, your diet should emphasize vegetables, fruits, low-fat dairy products and whole grains. You can also enjoy a variety of lean meats, poultry, legumes, fish, eggs and nuts. Allowing yourself some "wiggle room" to enjoy the foods you desire, even when they are not the healthiest option, can help you to overcome negative food attitudes and result in less emotional-derived eating, according to Roth. For best results, seek guidance from qualified professionals.
References
- Mayo Clinic: Gaining Control of Emotional Eating
- "Women, Food and God: An Unexpected Path to Almost Everything"; Geneen Roth; March 2010
- Weight-control Information Network: Weight Loss and Nutrition Myths
