Are you physically hungry or emotionally hungry?

Written By: Danae Maxwell

According to Wikipedia Emotional eating is defined as "the propensity to eat in response to positive and negative emotions. While the term emotional eating often refers to eating as a means of coping with negative emotions, it also includes eating for positive emotions such as eating foods when celebrating an event or eating to enhance an already good mood.”

The consequence of emotional eating in either case is extra calories that can result in extra weight gained. This is one of the biggest challenges when you are seeking to lose weight, but it can be overcome.

Take a moment and think about what situations stress you out or make you worried. Do you respond by eating? Have you ever thought right after eating “I wasn’t even hungry”? Another danger of eating because of emotions is eating past the point of fullness and then feeling guilty afterwards.

So how can you stop the cycle? Here are some tips to help:

1. Keep a food diary and plan ahead what you will eat each day. Plan for three meals plus snacks. Write down any additional food that you eat and jot down how you were feeling when you ate.

2. Ask yourself if you are truly hungry? If you think you are and it is not mealtime, drink water first. Sometimes thirst can be mistaken for hunger.

3. During mealtimes focus on eating slowly. Savor your food and always put your complete focus on eating. Avoid eating in front of the Television. The TV is the number one emotional eating zone!

4. If you are feeling stressed and want to eat, take a time out first. Delay eating as long as possible and the craving will pass. Distract yourself with other tasks that use your hands. Vacuuming and giving yourself a manicure are two great examples.

5. Always have low calorie healthy snacks available . If you cannot resist the urge, you will do less damage if you choose veggies and low calorie dip versus chips or peanuts or sweets.

6. Exercise, exercise, and exercise! Getting active is the best stress reliever and will also prevent you from giving in to temptation.

7. Create a list of stress busters or alternate activities to eating. Here are some examples of other things to do when you are stressed, anxious, lonely or sad:

1. Read a great book

2. Enjoy a stress relieving bath bomb

3. Take a brisk walk

4. Do a craft -they are not just for kids

5. Give yourself a facial

6. Phone a friend

7. Write in your Journal

8. Practice Yoga

9. Put on some great music and dance

10. Bike or Rollerblade

11. Commune with your pet

12. Utilize Virtual Personal Training with your Spa 23 Trainer

13. Watch a funny movie

14. Play a board game

15. Perform random act of kindness

What are your stress busters? We would love to hear about them?