Sometimes the strongest food cravings hit when you’re at your weakest point emotionally.  And there’s so many of us who find ourselves coping with difficult situations by reaching for comfort food. Eating that ice cream or chocolate or even that second helping of your favorite meal can make everything seem like it’s going to be okay. And there may be a perfectly reasonable explanation. 

Our bodies respond to stress and emotion by making us believe that we need more energy, and we tend to crave foods high in sugar and fat because those supply us with that quick jolt of energy.  It’s as simple as that.  It’s what causes us to ‘binge eat.’  Emotional eating can be triggered by stress, relationship problems, sadness, work pressure, money problems or health issues.  So, believe me, you’re not alone! 

But before you take this as permission to dive into the chips every time you’re stressed, listen up – emotional eating can be the worst thing you can do, as it will seriously disrupt your weight-loss journey!  Believe me, the effect of that jolt of energy will be only temporary, and once your emotions return, you’ll likely bear the additional guilt over falling off your weight-loss goal. This can also lead to an unhealthy cycle — your emotions trigger you to overeat, you beat yourself up for getting off your weight-loss track, and then you feel bad and you overeat again! 

Science shows us that the effects of sugar on the brain are actually equal to illicit drugs!  So, when you fall prey to the cycle of emotional eating, your body becomes affected on a metabolic level.  Your brain releases beta endorphins – that’s a powerful pain suppressor produced in the pituitary gland – when you eat sugar or foods higher in fat. As a result, your body becomes hooked on the euphoric feeling you get when you eat higher calorie foods. 

So, what can you do?  Well, once you recognize the pattern of your emotional response to stress, you just need to create a strategy to break it.  For instance, if you often eat because you think you deserve it after a tough day, remember – you also deserve to lose weight, feel healthy, and be proud of yourself!

You may be saying, easier said than done, right?  Well, start this way – first, just take a couple of breaths to reset.  Focus on making the decision to stay on your weight-loss journey. Next, start a food diary – write down what you eat, when you eat, and how much you’re eating.  Monitoring yourself in your ZOË 60 journal daily will help you be accountable to your decisions. Studies show that monitoring will train you to become more aware of your hunger satisfaction cues, as well as learn about how your emotions affect you.

Another strategy that can help you overcome emotional eating is what we call the ‘STOP technique.’  This technique calls for allowing yourself to “surf the urge” by waiting twenty minutes before responding to that craving.  During this time, ask yourself questions to identify where the craving came from, and how your decisions will affect you after you’re done giving into the urge to eat. Give yourself the opportunity to make a plan and take the pressure off – simply tell yourself you can have what you’re wanting after twenty minutes, if you still want it.  The outcome of using this technique is that your craving will pass… or if you do give in to that craving, you’re less likely to binge.

Your wellness advocate will partner with you during your one-on-one check-in to make sure you’re getting all the tools you need to overcome this emotional habit.   Pretty soon, your craving – purely based on emotion – will pass, and you’ll be right back on track!

So it’s up to you to break the cycle and keep your mind focused on what you want your wellness journey outcome to be.  And don’t worry – our wellness advocate will be with you every step of the way to guide you through your transformation! 

Still craving?  OK, try distracting yourself. Give yourself the gift of time to meditate on activities that would bring you joy! Cravings can come from a place of dissatisfaction with something in your life. Ask yourself what makes you happy. What can bring you joy other than the chemical release you get from food?  Maybe it’s scrapbooking, playing your favorite music, prioritizing time for just you by taking a walk, or calling a friend.  Anything that allows you to take stock and identify what could be causing your craving. Are you hungry for food or are you hungry for peace?  Pretty soon, by practicing awareness, you’ll make a habit of resisting the temptation that your emotional response makes you feel!

Of course, keeping junk food or other temptations out of your refrigerator or cupboard while you’re on this weight-loss journey is a sure-fire way to beat this temptation!  Instead, choose a healthy option as your go-to when you feel this pattern of emotional eating coming on. A good tip for coping with the changes in eating behavior is to remind yourself that Amino acids will give you the same Beta endorphins release as sugar… so be sure to keep lean protein accessible when your cravings strike!

And hey, if you DO fall prey to emotional eating, listen… forgive yourself and start fresh with your very next choice.  Remember lapses are not a sign that you can’t do it, only an opportunity to learn. Try taking a mental inventory of your internal dialogue so you can learn your triggers.  With your experiences and different life scenarios you can make a plan for how you can prevent a lapse from happening next time.  Be your own best friend and celebrate all the positive changes you’re making in your eating habits and give yourself credit for making the right changes for your life.  Remember You DESERVE it.