Emotional Eating

It is widely understood that we must eat fewer calories than we burn up to achieve a drop in weight. It sounds simple and weight loss programs are usually based on this principle. Why then, do 80 percent of people who lose weight, gain it back within five years? A new study published in the January issue of the American Dietetic Association has shed some light on this issue. The researchers wanted to know what other factors are important for a weight loss program to be truly effective. They decided to question the participants about stress in their daily lives and how they reacted or coped with stress. It might not come as a surprise to learn that people who are stressed often seek comfort in food. Those who experienced the most stress or ate in response to emotional triggers tended to be the most overweight. A lack of coping skills was also linked to more binge eating. Previous studies have found that participants who learned to cope with emotions or stress without turning to food, lost more weight and were more likely to keep it off. The researchers suggested that weight control programs might be effective if more time was devoted to helping people learn how to recognize stress and deal with emotions in constructive ways. Often I see emotional eaters who didn't even realize they eat to cope with strong feelings or stress. Weight control programs usually require participants to keep a food diary and write down everything they eat or drink. I have begun to ask my clients to record how they are feeling when they eat and any stressors for that day. This exercise can help people identify exactly which feelings or stresses trigger their overeating. Once you recognize these triggers, you can then begin to change the way you respond. Instead of eating, take a quick stroll, stretch or use some relaxation techniques. The activity you choose is not as important as the conscious effort not to react by eating. Be patient. Remember that it takes time to make real changes in eating habits