Venting Your Frustration on Food: Emotional Eating and Stress
Nourishment is a big part of living and we need to eat to stay healthy and energized. But what if we find ourselves using food to sate another sort of hunger? There’s this issue called emotional eating, and millions of men and women face this problem every single day.
Emotional eating starts inside our minds, but it doesn’t stay there. Soon we observe how we’re gaining weight faster than we can lose it. Frustrations and stress are the most common factors that contribute to emotional eating because these lower our defenses and bust our self control.
Have you ever heard of comfort food? These aren’t healthy at all, but they serve a certain purpose. They make us feel pampered and relaxed. The more we consume these types of food, the more we feel our stress ebbing. This notion has led many to the forefronts of the battle with obesity, and a lot of these individuals don’t survive. Whether it’s diabetes or hypertension, one disease or another contributes to bigger and deadlier problems.
How to Handle the Stress that Leads to Emotional Eating?
1. Never Think “I’m the only one with problems”
Every single person has good and bad hair days. In fact, not a single individual can claim that every single day is perfect. There will always be some days that don’t sparkle like the rest, and you’re definitely not the only one handling the same issues and facing the same problems.
The key to handling a bad day is being able to bounce back to where you were before your bad day started. We deal with bad times and unexpected problems differently, but we all share the same potential to bounce back no matter how bad the situation is.
Look at your co-workers, the people in the subway and even your own mom. They have problems, some even bigger than yours, but you don’t see them guzzling every single carbonated drink inside the fridge do you?
2. Talk
It doesn’t matter who, as long as you have a way of expressing your frustration. Sometimes, saying “I’m having a bad day” out loud to someone who cares will help you get over it. It’s also fun to banter with others when you’re feeling down. You might be surprised how a few minutes of good company will improve your mood.
Recognizing your potential to use food destructively is the first step to recovery. As soon as you understand that you have a problem, the rest of the healing process will be easy. Some people live in denial for a long time; but deep inside, guilt prevails.
As long as you’re willing to open yourself up to the healing process, counseling will work for you. A qualified counselor will encourage you to talk about your experiences and it pays to be completely honest with this person. Be open to help and you will soon get over the stress, the emotional eating and the feeling of anxiety that you’re doing something wrong.
