Food & Recepten
3 powerful tools that prevent you from emo eating
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Get down to the root cause
Identify and address the true source of your emotional eating. A bad day at work or a fight with a friend are short-term issues. But emotional eating can stem from bigger issues, too. These include chronic stress, long-term anger, depression and other concerns. If these apply to you, you may benefit from counseling, stress management, exercise and other techniques.
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Rate your hunger
On your way to the refrigerator, pause for a moment and ask a simple question: “Am I really hungry?”. Give your hunger a rating on a scale from 1 to 5, with 1 being not hungry at all, and five being you’re so hungry that you would eat anything. If your hunger clocks in at a level three or four, you could grab a healthy, balanced snack within 15 minutes or a healthy, balanced meal within 30 minutes. If your physical hunger is lower than that, try an alternative activity like drinking a cup of fruity herbal tea or going for a walk.
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Swap out your worst snacks
Remember that the sugar high comes with a low afterward. So if stress or sadness trigger your sweet tooth, try to answer the cravings with a healthy option. Overeating processed snacks will only raise your cortisol level even more. Replace the candy with a bowl of sweet fruit, and when craving salty snacks; popcorn or roasted chickpeas are a better choice than crisps.
