How to Stop Emotional Eating: 7 Mind Tricks That Really Work

When we struggle with emotional eating, the main issue lies not in our kitchens but in our minds. To overcome this challenge, here are some helpful strategies from psychologist Susan Albers' new book, "50 More Ways to Soothe Yourself Without Food."

• Recognize Emotions: First, understand your emotions. Notice when you feel sad, stressed, or anxious, as these feelings often trigger emotional eating.
• Find Alternatives: Instead of turning to food, explore other ways to soothe yourself. Engage in activities you enjoy, like walking, drawing, or listening to music.
• Mindful Eating: When you do eat, be mindful of your choices and savor each bite. Pay attention to the taste, texture, and satisfaction it brings.
• Create a Support System: Share your feelings with friends or family who can offer encouragement and understanding without judging.
• Pause Before Eating: Before reaching for food, take a brief pause. Ask yourself if you are truly hungry or if there's an emotional trigger.
• Keep a Journal: Write down your emotions and thoughts about food. This can help you identify patterns and emotions related to eating.
• Plan Ahead: If you know certain situations trigger emotional eating, plan alternative activities or strategies to cope with those emotions.
• Practice Self-Compassion: Be kind to yourself and recognize that everyone struggles at times. Avoid self-criticism and embrace self-acceptance.
• Stay Hydrated: Sometimes, feelings of hunger are actually thirst. Drink water throughout the day to avoid unnecessary eating.
• Get Enough Sleep: Lack of sleep can lead to emotional eating. Aim for a regular sleep schedule to improve your overall well-being
• Five People to Call: Write down five people you can call when feeling down, upset, or angry. Reach out to them for support and a listening ear.
• Five Ways to Relax: List five ways to relax, like taking a hot shower or practicing deep breathing. These activities can help you calm your emotions.
• Five Calming Places: Identify five places you can go to calm down, such as your porch or a peaceful park. Being in these places can ease stress.
• Five Positive Self-Talk: Note five affirmations to say to yourself when under stress, like "This too will pass." Positive self-talk can shift your mindset.
• Five Distractions: Think of five activities to distract yourself, such as watching a show on Netflix or engaging in a hobby. These distractions can help you break the urge to eat emotionally.

This weekend, take some time to sit down with a pen and paper. Create a rough map of your route for the upcoming week, not for streets and highways, but for all your planned stops, such as work, school, doctor's appointment, and family outings like a movie theater. Also, include possible detours like going to the supermarket or mall.

To help with emotional eating, use an icon, like a doughnut, to mark places on the map that could trigger emotional eating, such as a meeting with your boss or brunch with your in-laws. This visual representation will make you aware of potentially challenging events.

Plan ahead to avoid stress-eating in such situations. For example, if you know brunch may be a trigger, check the restaurant's menu online beforehand and choose a delicious yet healthy option, so you won't end up bingeing on unhealthy choices like Eggs Benedict.

By creating this map and being proactive, you can be more conscious of potential emotional eating triggers and take steps to handle them better. This approach can help you stay on track with your goals and lead to a more successful and balanced week.

Unraveling the Labyrinth of Emotional Eating:

 Purify Your Core It is an acknowledged precept to engage in a profound inspiration during moments of anxiety, yet its implementation proves to be an entirely disparate undertaking. Dr. Albers proffers a captivating visual stratagem: Inhale profoundly, and conjure an image of a squeegee (yes, akin to the implement utilized for cleansing windshields or windows) positioned in proximity to your cranium. Gradually exhale, envisioning this squeegee purifying your innermost being—expunging all your apprehensions—from the uppermost part of your mind to the very tips of your toes. Iteratively perform this act thrice. Herein lie additional expeditious methodologies for alleviating distress and tension.

Unlocking the Shackles of Emotional Eating: Embrace Regal Self-Talk

The phenomenon of emotional eating often dances hand in hand with self-criticism, as the internal monologue hurls toxic invectives like "I'm an abject failure," "I can never seem to get anything right," or "Will I ever learn to cope with disappointment?" These transient yet corrosive remarks act as insidious acid rain, gradually eroding one's sense of well-being. To combat this affliction, whenever such utterances tiptoe through your mind, create some distance by switching to the majestic third person. Drawing inspiration from the legendary King James, as in the eminent basketball icon LeBron James, who asserted during his infamous 2010 decision press conference, "I sought what would be best for LeBron James and what would bring happiness to LeBron James." Thus, when thoughts like "I have really messed up" plague your consciousness, transform them into "[insert your first name here] has really messed up." Seemingly insignificant as it may appear, attempting this regal transformation shall unveil its power to quell the ceaseless cycle of negative ruminations and grant you a fresh perspective. Alongside these potent strategies, consider exploring additional confidence-boosting techniques (especially during moments when you feel anything but confident). Alternatively, delve into these 17 cunning tactics to stave off the weight-loss plateau and safeguard your weight loss odyssey.

Establishing Mental Foundation

Dr. Albers emphasizes the potency of grounding techniques in aiding oneself during intense emotional periods. These techniques prove instrumental in reorienting the mind to the present moment, acting as a safeguard against being overwhelmed by emotions and resorting to mindless consumption. One remarkable tactic for mental grounding, as suggested by Dr. Albers, involves selecting a book or magazine, perusing its pages, and choosing a passage to read in reverse. Commence from the concluding word and traverse back to the initial word. Engage in this exercise with two additional passages to solidify the effect.

Cease Emotional Eating: Anchor Your Being, As Well

Various methods exist to snap your body back to the present, disengaging it from overthinking. Dr. Albers proposes a few approaches: Clasp a piece of ice, experiencing its gradual dissolution between your fingers; take a bite of a lemon, lime, or grapefruit; immerse your hand in cold or hot water; exert pressure on the floor with one of your heels; sit in a chair, tightly gripping its arms or seat, then release.

Put a halt to emotional eating: Relinquish your worries at the doorstep

Many individuals have developed the less-than-desirable habit of returning home, dropping their belongings, and immediately heading to the kitchen to bury their emotions in coffee cake or leftover pizza. Cultivate a fresh homecoming ritual. Upon entering your abode, remove your shoes and belongings, and verbally declare, "I leave my troubles here." Replace the usual trip to the kitchen with a non-food activity that brings joy, such as playing music, embracing your pet, or admiring the scenery from a window. Practice this daily for a few weeks, and you will be well on your way to establishing a new meaningful tradition.