What's the reason for eating? Of course you know the answer....to nourish your body, to provide your body with the nutrients in order to have energy, for your body to function properly. Some of the time, this isn't why we eat at all. Let's name the reasons: tired-eating, bored-eating, stress-eating, mindless-eating, and emotional-eating. I think these are all pretty common. But, do you realize it while you are doing it?
Take a closer look at your own habits- what is your "go-to" item of choice when you emotional eat? Is it sweet stuff? Salty? Greasy/fatty? All of the above? Personally, when I have an emotional trigger, I feel like sticking my head in a bag of Doritos. It's the crunchy/salty that gets me. It's a very powerful urge that, thankfully, I have learned to deal with.
How does one break through this toxic habit? You have to learn to face the emotions or stress that you are feeling instead of burying them with food. You have to remind yourself that it may taste good going down, but think about how you will feel later on. Do you immediately regret what you ate? Feel so full that you want to explode? Bash yourself for pigging out and think "what does it matter anyway?" Would eating that bag of Doritos really make me feel better? No, of course not. I would feel disgusting. I have worked too hard to do that to myself. I have the power over what I eat and why.....not the other way around.
Find a different stress outlet. If you are bored/tired eating, find something else to occupy you. Don't keep your trigger foods in the house. Make it an effort to have to go get the thing that you really crave. Or, satisfy a craving with a healthier version, like chocolate milk for a sweet craving or almonds for salty.
You get the idea. Easier said than done, I know. Just be mindful about why you are eating. Deal with the real issues. If you do blow it and drown yourself in cake or whatever it is, move on and get back on track the next time you eat.
