You settle in at your desk after a particularly stressful meeting but suddenly feel compelled to get back up, walk around, andâŚgrab a donut. You try to stop yourself by staying at your desk or just continuing to walk past the snacks. You may even think youâve succeeded for a minute, but that nagging feeling returns.
You sigh. You give in, and for a little while, that rush of dopamine you got from the candy makes you feel better. Then you feel worse because you caved, but you donât know how to stop emotional eating.
Could you be addicted to food?
If you feel like youâll never be able to control yourself around certain comfort foods (theyâre different for everyone but usually share a few commonalities), because you lack the willpower, I have three bits of good information for you:
Really, you can.
But first you have to understand whatâs going on in your bodyâand in your brainâwhen the urge to eat unhealthy foods, especially in large quantities, sets in. And you have to get to the root of the emotions that are playing off of your addiction.
When you search your soul and stay mindful and prepared, you set yourself up for success in kicking your food addiction and emotional eating habits.
As with just about any kind of addiction, your brain gets a shock of feel-good dopamine when you eat what youâre craving. You may feel nearly euphoric (thanks to the opioid production that can accompany high levels of fat or sugar intake), for a minute once you finally give in, but the feeling doesnât last.
Youâve probably experienced something similar (donât worry, Iâm not saying youâre addicted to food if you have!), before. Everyone has cravings. You know the feeling you get when you finally satisfy that craving? Imagine that, amplified and much more difficult to satiate.
I found a study that suggests food addiction works in the same way as drug or alcohol addiction. Not only do certain foods seem irresistible and make you feel good for a minute, but it takes more and more of them over time to satiate your craving. Thatâs why you may not be able to stop at one cookie, one slice of pizza, or a single handful of chips.
Sadly, nobodyâs craving massive amounts of kale or carrots when theyâre dealing with emotional eating or food addiction. Itâs always the salty, sweet, or fatty foods that arenât good for you. These are often referred to as âhighly palatable foods.â
(I find the term kind of funny since I think fruits, veggies, nuts, and grains are highly palatable. Donât you?)
Sometimesâbut not alwaysâfood addiction results in obesity because of the types of food usually involved, which can then lead to additional health problems. You donât have to be obese to suffer from food addiction. And if youâre carrying around some extra pounds on your frame, that doesnât necessarily mean youâre addicted to food.
Food addiction goes beyond the occasional craving that you sometimes satisfy. Here are some clues that you may be addicted:
For an in-depth look at food addiction and more help determining if you suffer from it, you can take a look at Yaleâs Food Addiction Scale.
For starters, thereâs a whole lot of emotion involved in food addiction! Yes, there are the cravings that seem to be almost physical, but thereâs probably a nagging feeling that sets off a binge (it can happen with other types of addiction, too). Maybe you can pinpoint it at the time, maybe you canât.
Food addiction and emotional eating can feel a little like an endless cycle at times.
Thereâs anxiety around not eating the foods you want. You eat them. You feel depressed, guilty, or you hate yourself for giving in. That creates a whole new round of negative emotions and guess what? You want to eat more to soothe them. Vicious, right?
The physical body and the mind are linked together, so itâs no wonder that the physical act of eating can sometimes become a way of dealing with the troubles on your mind.
You can break the cycle.
Your mind and body will still be linked, of course, but theyâll both become fresher and lighter. You know how the Beauty Detox books talk about your digestive system getting all gunked up from toxins? Similar situation hereâin your mind.
Yes, itâs hard at first, but: It. Is. Possible.
Keep in mind that just because you give in to emotional eating sometimes, that doesnât mean youâre addicted to food. The tips Iâll share in a minute will help you avoid emotional eating, too, though, so even if youâve decided youâre not addicted per se, keep reading.
Avoiding emotional eating takes mindfulness and preparation.
Physical hunger and emotional hunger are two very different thing. When youâre physically hungry, it doesnât matter if itâs a kale salad or a piece of pizza. You just want to eat something to get the gnawing in your stomach to go away. Emotional eating (and food addiction), usually revolves around something a little more specific than that.
You can ask yourself this before you reach for a comfort food or before you reach for the next round of whatever it is youâre eating (so you caved and had a donutâŚtell yourself you satisfied the craving and then move into one of the other methods for fighting emotional eating, like distraction or writing in a journal). If youâre very specific about what you want (like another donut), itâs probably not physical hunger.
Success relies on planning.
Sweet tooth? Try these recipes. See which oneâs your favorite and then make sure you always have them around (or at least the ingredients you need):
Keep some of these in the freezer or fridge so theyâre nearby when you want to eat and you want something sweet. Though desserts should still be enjoyed in moderation, at least this way youâre getting whole foods, not unhealthy ingredients from processed foods.
If you tend to go for savory snacks or fatty ones instead, try:
At Work:
A short walk may not be your thing. I know on a limited level, when I really wanted to eat some of the sweets in the office, a quick walk through the building wasnât enough. If anything, I might have found myself walking toward the candy bucket. It works for some people, but it was never enough for me.
Granted, at work youâre probably kind of limited on options, but if you have a little bit of freedom to come and go as you like (to a degree), try taking a five to ten minute walk outside in the sunshine. Get on Pinterest (set a timer!) or watch YouTube videos.
Even a few deep breaths, eyes closed, may do the trick (put on some headphones or go hide in the bathroom if your desk areaâs not quiet enough). Emotional eating is inspired by stress, and if you can learn to manage that stress, youâre so much closer to avoiding that junk food you really donât want to eat.
If the treats youâre craving arenât in the break room, you could go in there and make yourself a cup of tea. Keep a few bags of your favorite flavor at your desk.
At Home:
At home, you have a number of options:
I donât suffer from food addiction, but I have been overcome by occasional bouts of emotional eating in the past. I know the guilt and general feeling of, âWhat just happened and why did I do that?â that replace those good feelings that the dopamine provides.
Journaling is your best friend. You may be feeling a little skeptical. I was. I thought I didnât have time. I thought I wouldnât learn anything I didnât already know. After all, it was all in my head already, right?
Sometimes you have to write things down to see what you really think or feel, though. Have you ever tried to knit or crochet? Tug on that one string and you begin to unravel the skein and turn it into something usable. Try to use the whole skein at once and you get nowhere.
Writing is like that. Youâre forced to take a little at a time and digest it. Then comes the next bit, and youâre able to work through whatever is bothering you in much more manageable pieces.
Itâs also like talking to a friend without having to unload on someone else (I know some people donât like to do that, and if youâre not even sure whatâs bothering you, it may be intimidating to just start talking with an actual person).
Journaling is private, itâs cheap, and itâs totally worth it. It also doesnât hinder your weight loss or health goals.
Think you donât have time to sit down and write? Think about what you would be doing instead. Would you be in front of the television with a box of cookies or ice cream? Even one show is 30 minutes and thatâs plenty of time to get a good start.
The goal is to get to the core cause of the emotions that are making you want to eat unhealthy things, especially when youâre not even hungry.
Tiny Buddha has amazing tips for using a journal to heal and thrive. Too Much on Her Plate takes a slightly different approach and talks about using a food journal not to record every little bite you eat, but how you feel before, during, and after eating.
Anything worth doing takes thought, mindfulness, dedication, and work. Learning how to stop emotional eating and take your life and health back into your own hands is no exception. You wonât be perfect overnight. Donât expect to be. Itâs okay.
Weâre all works in progress. If weâre not dealing with food addiction and emotional eating, itâs something else. Maybe itâs stress. Maybe itâs staying mindful and present at all (or most) times. No one is perfect, but we can all strive to become our best selves.
Love yourself. Appreciate yourself. Accept yourself, whether youâve successfully avoided a prime emotional eating opportunity or you had a slip-up. Vow to continue with your goals no matter what, and it will get easier.
Do you suffer from food addiction or emotional eating? Do you have any tips of your own to share? If not, which of the tips above do you think youâll be trying soon?
In love and health,
Kimberly
