Eating for reasons other than being hungry is a problem with overeating. When you need to satisfy an urge associated with feelings, emotions can cause you to overeat. What you’re doing is you’re eating to fill an empty place in your heart rather than your stomach.
The top cause of obesity is emotional overeating and you need to know what’s eating you if you want to stop overeating and putting on weight otherwise it may cause a number of illness and early death.
How do you know you’re overeating because of emotional issues? If you want to gauge eating habits, the main way is to pay attention to your hunger level. If you continue to eat long after the initial hunger is satisfied, then you’re probably a victim of emotional overeating. Cravings and stress related eating are also a part of the emotional overeating cycle.
Eating when you’re tired or distressed can make you feel a temporary high or increased energy level, but the “downer” will come. When it comes to overeating, your response may be low self-esteem, guilt, and negativity about your body and mind.
Overcoming your overeating problem
Waiting a few minutes before indulging in rich comfort foods is a way to solve emotional overeating. Stress, boredom, etc. can cause you to binge-eat, so ask yourself if your body is really hungry for food.
Knowing why you overeat can help you to forego the rich foods you’re craving such as ice cream, breads and anything that contains high carbohydrates, loads of sugar and unhealthy fats. It’s too tempting to have them in the house or in desk drawers in your office, so don’t put them there. Instead, load up with “smart foods” such as fruits, crudits and foods that are high in protein.
Exercise if you want to avoid overeating habits and maintain a desirable weight. Exercise releases endorphins from the brain, which in turn cause feelings of happiness and a sense of euphoria. You’ll feel good about yourself and the fact that you spent time doing something good for you rather than indulging in the old nemesis of overeating.
Find something you want to do so that you’ll get moving and look forward to it. Walking your dog in the park, dancing around the house to your favorite song on an ipod or taking a yoga class can make all the difference in your quest to end the emotional merry-go-round that causes you to overeat.
Follow these healthy living tips and enjoy a feel-good lifestyle. Check this calorie chart for a list of healthy foods with maximum nutrition and minimum calories.