Reasons For Emotional Eating

So what are the reasons for emotional eating?

If you know you're an emotional eater, why can't you just stop it and lose the weight?

All emotional eaters have one thing in common - they eat to deal with difficult emotions. Eating becomes a coping mechanism that helps them deal with life's stresses.

There are also more specific reasons for emotional eating. Everyone is different and has unique reasons for their emotional eating episodes. Here are a few of them:

1) Stress Eating

When some people get stressed or anxious, they eat as a way to numb themselves or calm themselves down. This is similar to a smoker who lights up when stressed.

[ More on Stress and Overeating ]

2) Excited or Happy Eating

Surprisingly, many people actually use food to calm themselves down when they get too excited or even happy.

They may not be used to feeling so elated and this may frighten them. So they eat as a way to tone down their feelings.

3) Boredom Eating

This is a big one. Many people grab something 'exciting' like a chocolate bar or some of the new flavor ice cream when they're bored.

Life can be monotonous sometimes - waiting in line, stuck in the house, doing a repetitive job you've done for years. Food is a way to be adventurous that won't disrupt the status quo.

[ More on Boredom Eating ]

4) Event Eating

This is another big one. So many events (thanks to advertisers) have been tied to food.

Many people won't even think of going to the movies without popcorn. And you can't go to a baseball game without grabbing a hotdog or chips.

5) Self Critical Eating

Many people - especially perfectionists - are highly critical of themselves. They may eat as a way to numb themselves from the pain of beating themselves up mentally.

For example, say they they eat one cookie and then feel like they've strayed from their diet. They will then beat themselves up for hours. Eventually, just to stop the feeling of condemnation, the person gives in and ends up eating the entire box of cookies.

[ More on Loving Yourself ]

6) Depressed Eating

Many people who are depressed or feel sad turn to food as a pick-me-up. This makes sense, since sugar and the caffeine in chocolate are natural stimulants.

However, it doesn't address the problem and usually results in the person feeling even more unhappy.

[ More on Depression and Eating ]

7) Lonely Eating

Food serves as your friend when you're lonely. Again, this doesn't solve the real problem and usually makes you feel even more isolated.

8) Anger Eating

Some people may eat as a way to express (or more accurately repress) their anger. Maybe they don't feel they can lash out at their boss or express anger to a spouse.

So they stuff themselves as a way to deal with their anger.

[ More on Anger And Eating ]

Those are just several reasons for emotional eating. There are many more.

According to Dr Roger Gould, the therapist behind the Shrink Yourself emotional eating program, there are 12 types of emotional hunger - 12 different reasons for emotional eating.

Regardless of why you eat emotionally, if you want to lose weight permanently, you must learn new skills to cope with your emotions.

We recommend the Shrink Yourself program as the easiest, most effective way to do this. It's a 12 week interactive online program designed by emotional eating therapist Dr Roger Gould.

It will help you learn new coping skills, end emotional eating and be free to lose weight permanently.

Click here for more on the Shrink Yourself Program.

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