Emotional Eating: What is it? and How can I prevent this from happening?

Emotional eating is defined (yes, there is a definition!) as "the practice of consuming large quantities of food -- usually "comfort" or junk foods -- in response to feelings instead of hunger".This website also says that experts estimate that 75% of overeating is caused by emotions. Although our textbook doesn't really talk about this subject, I still thought it was relevant and important. On page 146, it describes a woman who eats emotionally. She has trouble paying her bills and is dealing with a bad marriage. After seeing a counselor, she was able to correct her eating habits and start exercising.
So how do you know if you are an emotional eater? Well according to this website, if you answer "yes" to any of the questions, then you "are" an emotional eater. I decided to answer these questions.

• Do you ever eat without realizing you're even doing it? Yes
• Do you often feel guilty or ashamed after eating? Sometimes
• Do you often eat alone or at odd locations, such as parked in your car outside your own house? No
• After an unpleasant experience, such as an argument, do you eat even if you aren't feeling hungry? Yes
• Do you crave specific foods when you're upset, such as always desiring chocolate when you feel depressed? Definitely YES
• Do you feel the urge to eat in response to outside cues like seeing food advertised on television? No
• Do you eat because you feel there's nothing else to do? Yes
• Does eating make you feel better when you're down or less focused on problems when you're worried about something? Yes

OK, so I guess I truly am a emotional eater. It all began in 8th grade when I started to become sick. I was depressed and in pain. Junk food seemed to "save" me and make me feel better. My choice of food consisted of Doritos, and M&Ms. Within the four years that I was sick, I gained about 70 pounds. It's disgusting to even say that. Luckily, I have lost about half of that, and I am on my way to losing the other half as well.
I had a discussion with Katlynne in the Student Seminar discussion forum for this module. She provided a great website that outline the emotional issues beneath weight gain. Some roles that can play into emotional eating can be:

• Age
• Gender
• Genetics
• Environmental Factors
• Physical Activity
• Physcological Factors
• Illness
• Medications

I learned that emotional eating is more prevalent in women then in men. And I personally know what medications can do to you. Some like to have "weight gain" as a side effect and it truly is a terrible one!

So how can I prevent this from happening? I know counseling will help but is there an easier way? Well, according to the Mayo Clinic, there are several tips you should follow:

I do believe that I put in the needed time and effort when posting my discussion question and responding to others in the group. Next time, I will make the effort to reply to more people then just two.
I also thank you for your comments because it helps me to know the way you want a question posted or answered. I do believe your comments have improved my postings since my first posting in module one.

• Tame your stress. If stress contributes to your emotional eating, try a stress management technique, such as yoga, meditation or relaxation.
• Have a hunger reality check. Is your hunger physical or emotional? If you ate just a few hours ago and don't have a rumbling stomach, you're probably not really hungry. Give the craving a little time to pass.
• Keep a food diary. Write down what you eat, how much you eat, when you eat, how you're feeling when you eat and how hungry you are. Over time, you may see patterns emerge that reveal the connection between mood and food.
• Get support. You're more likely to give in to emotional eating if you lack a good support network. Lean on family and friends or consider joining a support group.
• Fight boredom. Instead of snacking when you're not truly hungry, distract yourself. Take a walk, watch a movie, play with your cat, listen to music, read, surf the Internet or call a friend.
• Take away temptation. Don't keep supplies of comfort foods in your home if they're hard for you to resist. And if you feel angry or blue, postpone your trip to the grocery store until you're sure that you have your emotions in check.
• Don't deprive yourself. When you're trying to achieve a weight-loss goal, you may limit your calories too much, eat the same foods frequently and banish the treats you enjoy. This may just serve to increase your food cravings, especially in response to emotions. Let yourself enjoy an occasional treat and get plenty of variety to help curb cravings.
• Snack healthy. If you feel the urge to eat between meals, choose a low-fat, low-calorie snack, such as fresh fruit, vegetables with fat-free dip, or unbuttered popcorn. Or try low-fat, lower calorie versions of your favorite foods to see if they satisfy your craving.
• Get enough sleep. If you're constantly tired, you might snack to try to give yourself an energy boost. Take a nap or go to bed earlier instead.
• Seek therapy. If you've tried self-help options but you still can't get control of your emotional eating, consider therapy with a professional mental health provider. Therapy can help you understand the motivations behind your emotional eating and help you learn new coping skills. Therapy can also help you discover whether you may have an eating disorder, which is sometimes connected to emotional eating.

"If you have an episode 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. Focus on the positive changes you're making in your eating habits and give yourself credit for making changes that'll lead to better health".

I like the fact that I need to "tame" my stress by doing yoga and relaxation methods. I actually love listening to relaxation CDs to help calm down my stress level. Am I really hungry? Most of the time, I eat for no reason and I am just eating to just eat! I also like the suggestion of keeping a food diary. I think it would help to write down what I ate, what amount I ate, and what my mood was like at that time. It will help me to understand more of why I am eating that certain food for no reason. I also think the most important tip is to have the support of your friends and family. I know my Mom and Sister decided they would lose weight with me because with that huge support system, it would help to make sure we accomplished our goals. I will continue to ask for support and I am looking forward to keeping a food diary. I believe these things could help me stop eating emotionally.
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Three New Words I Learned this Module are:

• Essential Amino Acids- Amino acids that cannot be synthesized by the body and must be provided by food.
• Lactase- Enzyme secreted by glands in the small intestine that converts lactose(milk sugar) into simple sugars.
• Female Athlete Triad- Combination of disordered eating, cessation of menstruation (amenorrhea), and weakened bones (osteoporosis).

My participation this Module:
I really do think I did better this module when it came to the postings. I believe I put the needed effort into it as well. Next module however, I will be responding to more people when they post their discussion question. I appreciate your comments as well because it gives me a better understanding of how you want things done. I truly believe your comments have improved my writing since module one.