Emotional Hunger
Needing a break from all of the news, I’ve found myself tuning into the Food Network. Many of my friends love watching this, but this was the first time that I had tuned in. Within a few minutes, I wanted to make everything. I went online and downloaded recipes and started prioritizing them based on what I had at home.
In the middle of planning, I thought, what are you doing? Who is going to eat all of this food? And of course, none of the recipes I wanted to make were healthy. I took a step back from my planning and realized that I was trying to feed my emotions and create a distraction. Once I realized what I was doing, I could make a better choice as to how to deal with my emotions and my need for a distraction. In my case, I pulled up my favorite yoga instructor on YouTube and did that instead.
How about you? Are you one of those people whose feelings have a lot to do with what and how much you eat? If so, you’re not alone. Emotional hunger refers to a cycle of eating triggered by an emotion. Many of us eat when we’re happy, stressed, anxious, and even when we’re bored. Sometimes we eat to escape what we’re feeling, trying to mask what is really going on.
Sometimes this type of eating occurs so frequently that it’s difficult to distinguish between physical and emotional hunger. If this applies to you, you might want to consider these things when you are uncertain if you are physically hungry or are just looking to eat in response to your feelings.
Emotional hunger tends to come on suddenly and feels urgent.
It’s usually associated with cravings such as junk food and desserts and it’s focused on certain tastes, smells, and textures.
When this happens, we continue to eat well beyond the point our stomach is full.
This usually leads to us feeling guilty for overeating. And, we find that our body doesn’t feel well from this indulgence.
Sound familiar? Your mindfulness practice can help you become more aware of your thoughts and feelings and learn to acknowledge them without judgment. Being aware of our feelings is the first step in making intentional choices.
TIPS TO CURB EMOTIONAL HUNGER
Ask yourself, “Am I really hungry or is something else prompting me to want to eat?”
Also consider, “When did I eat last?” … “Should I be hungry or am I eating out of habit?” … “Am I trying to avoid dealing with what is really going on?”
If you suspect that an emotion is driving your hunger, try to identify it. Sometimes just saying the words out loud, like “I feel stressed” or “I am worried” will give you the mental space to consider what you really need.
If you are unsure what you’re feeling, try closing your eyes and taking a few breaths and simply ask yourself, “What am I feeling?” or “What’s bothering me?” You could also find someone to talk it over with.
Taking a drink of water may help break the cycle of grabbing something to eat as well.
Pausing to consider what you’re feeling before you reach for what you’re craving may give you the necessary time you need to make a deliberate choice.
If you just have to have what you’re craving, try setting a limit on the amount you eat. Or, consider if there’s a healthier substitute.
Finally, doing something that distracts you from this urge may also work. Many people find that simply taking a 5-minute walk gives them enough time to consider what they are feeling.
Just know that everyone experiences emotional hunger to some extent. And, there will be times when you realize you are experiencing emotional hunger and give in to it. If you can, try to remember how you felt after giving in to this urge. Did you feel better? Did the feeling get better or was it still there? How did your body respond to this indulgence? Asking these questions need not be posed in a way that prompts self-blaming or negative self-talk, however. Ask them with an intention to discover information for the future.
So, why not use this time to begin recognizing how stress and anxiety impacts your eating patterns and learn how to make more intentional choices? Let’s join together with an intention to maintain a healthy eating lifestyle, so that on the other side of this crisis we will not have to deal with an extra 5-10 pounds.
Prefer to listen to this exercise instead? Here’s a handy audio version: