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Eating is often used as comfort tool for people who are stressed, sad, disappointed, worried, annoyed, irritated, and in unique circumstances, happy. However, emotional eating can be destructive. Favorite comfort foods are not often the model of a healthy diet, and quantities usually exceed "moderation." If you tend to eat when you are emotional, there are several conscious ways you can curtail the feeding frenzy and learn new coping habits.

Each time you eat, ask yourself if you are hungry.
This obvious question isn't usually fun or helpful, but it's an important first step to figuring out whether you're eating to live or living to eat.

Replace eating with exercise.
When you're sad or lonely, reach for a dumbbell instead of a donut. Exercise releases endorphins and adrenaline, which make you feel good and give you a boost of energy. A quick 15-minute workout or walk will help you clear your head and deal with what is really bothering you. It will also help you make better food choices as your body learns to react to the healthy stuff it really needs.

Give yourself a time limit to wallow.
Indulge in a few spoonfuls of ice cream, then close up shop on the pity party and find a new distraction. You'll get the satisfaction of the food you crave without letting it destroy your day.

Get a new hobby.
Take up card making, woodworking, or another tedious, hands-on hobby that you can put your energy into and distract yourself from your problems. If your hobby is productive, you'll feel good about spending the time making something you can hold in your hands.

Phone a friend
Ladies will agree, calling a friend in your time of need can be all it takes to relieve your stress or get your screaming fit out of your system. (Just make sure your friend knows it's coming!) Guys can benefit from this too. Get your golfing buddy to help you walk away your troubles.

Eat something purposefully healthy
Fatty foods make you feel sluggish and drowsy, which sometimes feels good after a bad day. But healthy foods will help you feel energized and vibrant, which is what you really need when you're down.

Pamper your mind, body, and soul
Meditation, massage, spa treatments, and healthy sex with your partner are non-medicinal ways to relieve stress and refocus on what is important to you. Not everyone can afford a full-body rubdown each time they're frustrated (unless that partner of yours is willing), but a facial here and foot rub there can do wonders for the soul.

Everyone experiences the occasional binge that comes with being blue, but emotional eating doesn't have to ruin your life, or your waist. By finding healthy ways to relieve stress and eat a balance of treats, you can effectively curb emotional eating and conquer stress.

Learn more about this author, Kimberly Dawn Wells.
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