Do you look up to eating junk food when you are stressed? Does that stressful day at work lead to binging on pizza at night? Well, these are the universal symptoms of this growing universal problem of emotional eating. Often, considered a common problem among women, it does impact men as well. The moment you hear the word emotional eating you can only imagine a woman sitting with a tub of ice cream or bar of chocolate in her hand. However, this issue is not limited to women or eating in stressed situations. Anyone can tend to indulge in overeating or binge eating when bored or overwhelmed. So, emotional eating can be due to various reasons and primarily refers to eating when you are not quite hungry.
Here are 5 universal ways of coping with the problem of emotional eating, which is the growing reason behind weight gain and obesity.
The Triggers: Every emotion has a trigger and the same is true in the case of emotional eating. Thereby, it is essential to analyse the reason that leads you to binge eating. If it is loneliness that seems to be the trigger in your case, then the moment you feel alone, dial-up a close-one and talk at ease. However, if the social gatherings are turning out to be among the causes of emotional eating, where you end up indulging in the big spread, then start eating before heading for such gatherings. The tendency of overeating will be less when you are already well-fed. But if that job is giving you the stress and you are mindlessly eating junk food at work and at home, then remind yourself that health comes first. You can always find another job! Meanwhile, stock-up the pantry with healthy food only to deal with this situation.
Analyse your Eating Schedule: When looking for those triggers, it is much-needed that you analyse your eating behaviour and schedule. It often happens that you are eating too less during the day, which is causing a fluctuation in your blood sugar levels and you are succumbing to emotional hunger. When your blood sugar level is low, it can negatively impact your mood and push you towards making unhealthy food choices. So, work on your eating schedule and structure it in a manner that you are fuelling your body enough from time to time.
Stop Eating Mindlessly: Let eating be an enjoyable task too where you put your mind and soul. Taste every bite and relish every dish that is served. When you start enjoying your meals, you will not only eat slowly but even cautiously. Monitoring your portions will become easier and you will be able to adhere to your diet plan. So, put away your TV remote and mobile phone when eating your food. Even at work, try to go to the cafeteria to sit and enjoy your food with your colleagues.
Look for Coping Mechanisms: Once you know the triggers and you have done an analysis of your eating habits, then try to work out ways to distract and strengthen yourself. A wonderful way of getting control over yourself is by taking up some form of exercise, by meditating or doing yoga. It is imperative that you strike a work-life balance. These small and significant means will go a long way in preventing emotional eating and in distracting you from it.
But, Remember to Indulge Too: Along with the above tips, it is equally important that you pamper your taste buds occasionally. Indulge in your favourite foods rather than avoiding them completely. The intent should always be to stay healthy and not to get harsh with yourself in the process.
The above tips can be effective for men and women who are trying to win over emotional eating. An increasingly common problem, it is attributed to factors like stress, boredom and anxiety. Even though it is due to some positive and negative factors, it can have a detrimental impact on your body. So, it is essential that you overcome them and say yes to good health. As and when you succeed, you can reward yourself by joining a new hobby class that you like or gift yourself smart workout wear. If you are already looking for some trendy gym wear for yourself, then Sporto Red has plenty of options for you, start exploring and commit to staying healthy for life.