Have you ever found yourself eating chocolate when feeling down or nibbling on snacks when stressed? You are not alone! Food is much more than just fuel for our bodies. It gets tangled up with our emotions, giving rise to what we call emotional eating. This article explores what emotional eating entails, its triggers, potential risks, and effective management strategies.

What is Emotional Eating?

Emotional eating is the act of eating in response to feelings rather than actual hunger. It involves using food as a coping mechanism to deal with difficult emotions or seek comfort.

Why Does Emotional Eating Happen?

Several factors contribute to emotional eating, including:

• Emotional triggers: Stress, sadness, loneliness, boredom, anxiety, or even happiness can trigger the urge to eat.
• Learnt behaviour: Past experiences can make us associate certain emotions with specific foods. For example, if as a child you were offered sweets when in pain, you are likely to associate them with comfort or relief. This can become a conditioned, automatic response or, more simply, a habit!
• Neurological Factors: Brain regions that affect emotional regulation and decision making (amygdala and pre-frontal cortex), neurotransmitters affecting mood (serotonin, dopamine, and endorphins), chronic stress and its effects on neurological pathways, as well as the brain’s reward system, can all reinforce the connection between certain foods and feelings of pleasure or comfort.

When Does Emotional Eating Become a Problem?

While occasional emotional eating is common and normal, it can become problematic when it:

• becomes your primary way of dealing with emotions
• makes you feel out of control (which can be a major barrier in your relationship with food)
• leads to guilt or shame
• affects your overall health, resulting in unnecessary weight gain, digestive issues, poor mental health or other complications.

Emotional Hunger vs. Physical Hunger

Knowing how to differentiate emotional from physical hunger is crucial:

• Emotional hunger is triggered by emotions. Physical hunger is a biological response that allows us to survive.
• Emotional hunger comes out of the blue; physical hunger develops gradually.
• Emotional eating often involves cravings for specific comfort foods; physical hunger is satisfied by various foods.
• Emotional eating results in negative feelings or physical sensations (guilt, shame, discomfort); satisfying biological hunger makes you feel content.

How Can I Manage Emotional Eating?

• Nourish your body: emotional eating is often linked to restriction. This can be physical (eating less than your body needs) or mental (eating enough, but unsatisfied with your food choices). Making sure you have regular, sufficient, enjoyable meals throughout the day is key to managing emotional eating.
• Keep a journal: this will help you to identify triggers, emotions and patterns prompting the urge to eat.
• Find alternative coping mechanisms: for example meditation, exercise, hobbies or quality time with loved ones. These need to be enjoyable and relevant to your needs and preferences.
• Get support: share your struggles with trusted friends and family. If emotional eating negatively impacts your quality of life, seek guidance from an appropriately trained health professional.

Conclusion

Emotional eating is a complex interplay between emotions and food. By understanding your triggers, distinguishing emotional hunger from physical hunger, and adopting alternative coping mechanisms, it’s possible to navigate this relationship more mindfully. Developing your own strategy and seeking support can empower you to manage emotional eating and foster a healthier relationship with food and emotions.

If you need support with emotional eating, book your free discovery call here.

References:

1. Fuente González CE, Chávez-Servín JL, de la Torre-Carbot K, Ronquillo González D, Aguilera Barreiro MLÁ, Ojeda Navarro LR. Relationship between Emotional Eating, Consumption of Hyperpalatable Energy-Dense Foods, and Indicators of Nutritional Status: A Systematic Review. J Obes. 2022 May 18;2022:4243868. doi: 10.1155/2022/4243868. PMID: 35634585; PMCID: PMC9132695.
2. Macht M. How emotions affect eating: a five-way model. Appetite. 2008 Jan;50(1):1-11. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2007.07.002. Epub 2007 Jul 25. PMID: 17707947.
3. British Dietetic Association: Emotional Eating and our Relationship with Food