How to Stop Emotional Snacking

Food is about much more than just providing your body with energy. People associate food with emotions, experiences and socializing. Although such connections are usually normal and acceptable, they can sometimes promote poor eating habits. If all you want to do is chow down on a plate of fries when you are feeling a bit down, you are an emotional eater. To overcome emotional eating, it is important to make a strong commitment to your mental and physical health. Only then will you be able to make the changes necessary for a healthy diet and lifestyle.

Instructions

• 1

  Figure out why and when you emotionally eat. For example, maybe anger doesn't prompt a craving, but feeling lonely does. Moreover, maybe you only feel lonely (and hungry) in the evenings when you are at home alone. Keeping a food journal that includes a brief description of your feelings both before and after eating can help you discover these kinds of patterns.

• 2

  Identify your triggers. For example, maybe you emotionally eat every time you get off the phone with your mom because she makes you feel anxious. Once you are aware of stimuli that prompts emotional eating, make the necessary adjustments. If possible, limit your contact to the things that trigger you. If this is not possible, find healthier ways to respond. For example, writing in your journal, taking a walk or calling a friend are all good ways to handle negative feelings.

• 3

  Ask yourself if you are using food as a replacement for something you are missing in your life. For example, maybe you don't have enough excitement in your life and you eat to counter boredom. Or perhaps you don't have very many intimate relationships. If there is something missing, go out and get it. Make friends, try a new sport, work on your self-esteem or find a job you love. Only once the void is filled will the need for emotional eating decrease.

• 4

  Ask yourself if you are using food to avoid a problem in your life. Maybe you had a huge argument with your best friend a few months ago and haven't spoken to her since. Incidentally, you have also started downing a pound of chocolate on what used to be your night out with her. If there is a problem that you are avoiding, address it as soon as possible. Eating junk might temporarily make you feel better, but it won't fix the issue and will harm your health in the long run.

• 5

  Make your pantry a safe haven. Keeping only a limited amount of healthy snack food in your house is the fastest, easiest way to limit emotional eating. Even after you have a horrible day, emotional snacking is just not possible if there is nothing to snack on.

• 6

  Take it easy on yourself. If you mess up and have an emotionally driven snack, forgive yourself and move on. Brainstorm constructive ways to avoid eating the next time you feel emotional.