Emotional eating (see Wikipedia) can sabotage your efforts to get in shape and reach a healthy weight.  Emotional eating refers to overeating or making poor food choices in response to emotional difficulties.  Studies on the effect of stress on women who have a binge eating disorder showed that those who experienced stress were more likely to binge eat.

It is important to note that it is the experience of stress and not the actual event itself.  That is to say, it is more important how we interpret and respond to an event than the actual event itself.  Some people are able to deal with stressful situations in a proactive manner and don't experience them as negatively as others.  Some theories suggest that this is related to our internal belief of how well we can cope with things:  If we believe that we are highly capable then we are less likely to be thrown by stressful events.  Other people experience stressful situations as being overwhelming and may stay focused on the problems before them rather than mobilizing for a solution.

Reclaim your life from Eating Disorders

So it seems that your method of coping with stress is an important way to help you retain control over your eating.  If you cope well with stress and believe that you can overcome the obstacles in front of you then you are less likely to struggle with stressors.  This means that you won't be thrown into the position where eating becomes the only way that you can "medicate" your emotions.

Positive thinking avoids emotional eating

Research findings suggest that people who respond positively to a stressful situation are able to avoid emotional eating 85% of the time.  Responding positively means thinking positive thoughts and looking for constructive action to effectively deal with the situation.  This implies that when faced with a stressful situation we should consciously remind ourselves that we are capable of dealing with it and then deliberately follow a problem-solving approach to deal with it.  Looking for support from friends and family is also a good way to start feeling that a problem can be overcome. An effective eating disorder treatment program will help you to learn these skills and practice them in your every day life so that you are freed from the compulsion to eat on your emotions.

A stressful situation doesn't have to be a big thing,  it can be any unpleasant emotion such as boredom or frustration.  These "micro stressors" can quickly add up and lead to a person feeling that emotional eating is the only way to distract themselves from the anxiety surrounding these emotions.  Nutritionists have suggested that it is important to be able to differentiate between biological hunger and other urges to eat.  They say that it is important to identify the feelings and needs behind the non-biological urge to eat.  By becoming aware of how a subconscious need is being converted to hunger by the brain and body you will be able to choose another way to satisfy this need.  For example, you could take a relaxing walk on the beach or spend time taking a long bubble bath.

Problems of Emotional Eating

People can consume more calories than they because of emotional eating.  These excess calories lead to them picking up weight which exposes them to a number of associated health risks such as diabetes and cancer.  Choosing healthy sized portions of food that is balanced and nutritious is a good way to improve your overall health. While you are in the eating disorder treatment program you will learn how to select the foods that will promote your health and allow you to meet your nutritional needs without falling back into the trap of emotional eatings.

You can gain freedom from emotional eating through therapy.  Psychotherapy will help you to identify the root causes that cause you to eat on your emotions and a balanced nutritional meal set out by a dietitician will restore your metabolism to normal and redress past imbalances.  Like any other eating disorder it is the patient's willingness, courage, and commitment to change that will determine the success of the eating disorder treatment program.

Please contact us without delay if you would like more information on choosing an effective eating disorder treatment center in South Africa.