Over the years, many researches have found a link between chronic stress and weight gain, and can lead us to overweight and obesity.  There is a scientific reason why we are craving sometimes for “ comfort foods “, also known as emotional eating.

One category of stress related factors substances are glucocorticoids, a kind of steroid of hormone secreted by the adrenal glands.  And this play a particular role in food concentrations of glucocoricoids, whose can motivate us to consumption of added sugars, and satured fats.

Emotional eating can play with our weight – loss efforts. But you can get back on track with your weight loss goals. People nowadays are eating as a way to suppress or soothe negative emotions, such as stress, anger, fear, boredom, sadness and loneliness. 

Although some people eat less in their strong emotions. In fact your emotions can become so strong to your eating habits that you automatically reach a limit without thinking what you are doing. This can also lead to an unhealthy cycle – your emotions trigger you to overeat, you beat yourself of your weight loss track, you feel bad and you overeat again.

Tips to help your weight loss efforts be back on track:

1-When negative emotions let you trigger emotional eating, you can take some steps to control cravings.

2-Keep a food dairy: Write down, what you eat, how much you eat, when you Eat, how you’re feelings, an how hungry you are.

3-Tame your Stress: If stress contribute to your emotional eating, try a stress management techniques, such as, yoga, meditation or deep breathing techniques.  Get support, learn on Family and friends.

4-Fight Boredom: Instead of snacking when you are not hungry, distract  yourself for a healthy behaviour. Take a walk, watch a movie, read, etc.  

5-Don’t deprive Yourself: When you are trying to lose weight, you might limit calories too much, eat the same foods repeatedly and suppress cravings. Eat satisfying amounts of healthier foods, enjoy an occasional treat or sweet, and get plenty of variety to help curb cravings.

6-Snack Healthy: If you are dying to eat between meals, choose a low – fat, low –calorie snack, such as fresh fruit, vegetables with low fat dip or even little unbuttered popcorn.

7-Learn from Setbacks: If you have a time of emotional eating, forgive yourself and start fresh the next day. Try to learn from the experience and make a plan for how you can prevent it  in the future.

8-Focus on the positive changes that you are making in your eating habits, and give yourself a reward ( a gift – not related to food, i.e. a new hair cut, a new blouse, etc,) for making changes that will lead to better health.

By Yolanda Rosales G. Al- Baiz.