Emotional eating When we eat our emotions

Emotions always influence our life, that is evident. But, Have you thought to what extent they also influence our appetite? Here we explain the characteristics of the "emotional eating".

Emotional Eating: Definition

When we eat to alleviate some feeling that causes us discomfort we speak of "emotional eating ". That is, we do not eat as a physiological necessity. It is not about a real hunger but it is associated with emotions. In addition, emotions also sometimes make us lose our appetite.

You probably have a friend who has undergone a weight change due to anxiety problems or for being going through a depression. You may have put on a few kilos or, on the contrary, have lost them.

There are many disorders and diseases associated with changes in appetite. However, this does not imply that there is a disorder of being more or less hungry. This also happens when the death of a loved one, a romantic breakup or a move occurs. And in periods of work stress or exams, the emotional eating.

So far we have talked about disorders and negative events or changes. These changes in our desire to eat can also occur in positive or pleasant circumstances, such as the vacation period, meeting a new partner or a promotion at work.

Everything is associated with what we feel and how we manage it. And each one has its process. The same situation does not produce the same changes and emotions in all people. After a breakup, you can still eat without limits than not eating, for example. Also, you may feel depressed and sad or very relieved and confident..

What emotions make us eat emotionally?

• Stress. We eat very fast and chew hard without stopping to taste. We try this way release tension.
• Afraid. We look for food like refuge.
• Guilt. They tend to be binges until our stomach starts to hurt from the amount ingested. Although it may seem like it, you hardly enjoy the food. We punish ourselves with the discomfort produced by the binge and we gain weight.
• Sadness. Food releases certain hormones that make us feel good. When we eat out of sadness, sweet things, carbohydrates and "junk food" are often abused. Here they are not so much bingeing but rather a constant eating, every so often.
• Feeling of emptiness or need for affection. We try to fill those gaps with the food. We have the need to feel pleasure and satiety.

What solutions are there to emotional eating?

What can we do to manage these emotions so that they do not take over us and the lifestyle we like?

We refer to managing and not controlling because emotions are not going to disappear. Trying to cover or hide them is not going to do us any good in the medium or long term. There are several options:

• The most appropriate thing is to go to a psychologist, who will guide us and give us some guidelines. Professional help should always be the first option.
• The bibliotherapy it is also very helpful. You learn a lot from books, we realize things that we had not stopped to think about. Some have exercises that we can practice to make it easier for us to get where we want..
• Meditation. Meditation is a time when we are with ourselves to learn what we want, what we feel, how we are. It leads us to calm, to peace. And when one is at peace, calm and calm, emotions are regulated. It is an activity that you do not need to spend too much time on, although it is advisable to be constant to move forward.
• Refering to emotion management, sometimes it is good to let them out and lead them in another direction. Some good options can be a sports physical activity, dance, crafts, cooking or learning to play an instrument..

Why must we get out of this loop?

When we overeat we went into a loop. We eat to feel good. We feel bad for having eaten so much. We feel anxiety and this anxiety leads us to eat again.

When we have exceeded the weight with which we feel comfortable we feel bad and we eat again.

When we enter this dynamic, we do not put ourselves on top of salads and vegetables precisely, so we are attacking our health and we can cause problems.

Something similar happens when what happens to us is that our appetite decreases and we are not hungry. There comes a point where we do not look good and that leads us to feel bad and consequently we feel the same emotions that have led us not to eat and we still have no appetite.

Here health it tends to be harmed earlier by not receiving the necessary nutrients. We begin to notice less energy, we feel dull and without strength.

You will already know that in balance is the answer. Find that balance when you get out of the way and ask for help if you need it.