A dietitian’s guide to overcoming emotional eating
Emotional, or stress eating, is when we eat in response to emotions instead of hunger. When we eat in response to emotions such as stress, sadness, or fatigue, we often make poorer choices or overeat. We can learn how to identify the difference between emotions and hunger and implement healthier coping strategies.
Why do we emotionally eat?
Emotional eating might come out of both positive and negative emotions. It could be a way to help you cope with stress, or a way to celebrate an achievement. Sometimes, it is just a normal part of the human experience, however it can be an issue when it becomes your go-to solution.
When we consume food we enjoy, our body releases the hormone dopamine. This is one of the feel-good hormones, so we are creating a reward pathway and this is often what our body seeks. We can find other ways to have this release of dopamine.
Is your hunger emotional or physical?
We first need to identify if your hunger is from an emotional or physical need. There are some key differences between physical and emotional hunger. Physical hunger increases overtime, is less urgent, accompanied by physical signs such as rumbling stomach, not associated with guilt and leads to satisfaction after eating. Emotional hunger on the other hand is more sudden, particular to types of foods, has a sense of urgency, is in response to an emotion and may result in feelings of guilt or continued cravings.
The Hunger Scale
You can then use the hunger scale to determine your level of hunger. Aim to stick between levels 3-7 to avoid becoming too hungry, which is when we are more likely to make poorer choices or overeat. Aim to finish eating when you feel level 6 or 7.
If your hunger is physical then choose a healthy snack that contains protein and fibre to help keep you fuller for longer.
Identify Emotions
If you find yourself hungry but are a level 7 or above then it may be emotional hunger and you need to consider what might be driving the cravings. You can use the HALT: hungry, angry, lonely or tired acronym to help identify your emotions, or an emotions wheel. You might like to keep a journal of the emotions you’re feeling and strategies to help overcome them.
Delay, Distract and Disarm Method
Once you have identified your emotions and how you’re feeling, we can look at other ways to manage it that doesn’t involve food. Cravings often come in waves, and a bit like the ocean, they will come and go and change in intensity.
Delay - wait 20 minutes after the first impulse before taking action
Distract - while waiting, use another coping strategy
Disarm - stock your fridge/pantry with healthy snacks and foods
Some helpful coping strategies include
Warm bath with candles
Journalling
Chatting with friends
Watching a feel good movie
Listening to upbeat music
Joining a new community
Get more sleep
Yoga, stretching
Walking
Exercise
Deep breathing
Meditation
Yoga Nidra
Apps: Calm, Waking Up
Eat Mindfully
The last strategy we can use is to eat mindfully. Eating mindfully can help us receive more satisfaction from food so we’re less likely to crave more. Eat slowly, reduce distractions such as mobile phones, sit down to eat, slow down chewing and engage all senses.
Seek Help
Emotional eating is a complex area of nutrition and needs to be handled by an experienced professional. If you’re noticing tendencies of eating out of emotion or stress then I recommend working with a dietitian who can help you develop strategies that work for you.
