Ways to Curb Emotional Eating

For a large number of people, overeating begins in an innocuous manner. They feel the urge to fill their stomach and they indulge. But soon, this indulgence becomes a passion. It becomes an overriding force in their life and dictates their decisions and behavior. If they need a tub of ice cream, it has to be had. There are no two ways about it! Why, they would even go out at the dead of night, or lie to the salesperson to justify their huge purchase (like the one about how all the food is for the kids!) At this stage, a person has well and truly become the victim of compulsive overeating.   

Many victims of emotional overeating understand that they are under the unhealthy influence of craving too much food. They know that there is something wrong with them, but they just do not know of any ways to curb emotional eating. So they try to follow regular diet programs and fail miserably at it. This leads to depression and guilt, which further add to the pain they are carrying around. Talk about a regular muddle!  

If you know that you are an emotional eater, here are some effective ways to curb emotional eating.  

Portion control: A person who has a lopsided relationship with food must exercise strict portion control, at all times. This may be difficult because many of us have been taught to eat what is on our plate. This habit is so deeply ingrained that it is sometimes very difficult to shake off. But portion control is the first step to overcoming emotional eating. Whatever you eat, wherever you are, eat only up to a point. Divide your food into the portion that you want to eat, and throw out the rest. This may sound sacrilegious but hey, it’s your health you should be worried about at this moment!  

Keep a food diary: Many people turn to overeating due to boredom. So, they ‘graze’ throughout the day. They eat small amounts of food continuously, which builds up to mega calorie intakes, though they may feel like they are eating meager amounts. This is why it pays to keep a food diary. Everything you eat goes into the food diary, along with an approximate calorie count. Total your calorie intake for the day and see if you have overstepped your daily limit. Food diaries are very helpful because they keep your constantly conscious of the food that is finding its way inside. 

Kill temptation: Eliminate all tempting food from the vicinity. If Doritos are your favorite snack food, don’t buy them! If it is not at your house, you may not go out to buy it. Clear your fridge and cupboards of all tempting food.  

Follow these simple steps to curb your emotional eating easily and effectively.  

If you really want to put a complete stop to your emotional eating problems, get yourself a copy of the Emotional Eating Solution, the best guide for emotional eaters.