11 Effective Tips for Emotional Eaters

1. Ask yourself, Am I really hungry or just bored? Recognize real hunger. Is your hunger physical or mental? If you just ate and don't have a rumbling stomach, it's probably not real hunger. Drink some water, get up, move, and occupy your mind with a task, wait a few minutes and chances are the craving(s) will pass.

2. Journal. For the next several days, write down the foods you ate, when, portion sizes, mood, and hunger level. Over time, patterns can emerge that will help reveal negative eating patterns and patterns to avoid. By journaling you may uncover a negative pattern similar to: I was stressed all day at work. When I got home, I turned on the TV, got comfortable, ate an entire large pizza (dinner), snacked on Hersheys Miniatures (a whole bag), ate a container of Ben & Jerrys, and then went to bed.? Journaling offers tremendous insight. I encourage you to begin. It will help identify weaknesses in order to begin building strengths. Look at my other postings for the Eating and Activity Tracker. That is all you need to stay on track.

3. Don't turn to food for comfort. Instead of candy, cookies, pie, or cake, take a walk, treat yourself to a manicure, facial, massage, or call a friend. Plan enjoyable events with friends that do not revolve around food. Go on hike, bike ride or walk. Get out in the fresh air and move. Exercise releases feel good hormones in your body that zap cravings and make you feel great without loading your body with fattening calories.

4. Clean up your toxic zone. When temptation is not lurking in the cupboards and pantry, starchy, high-calorie, high-fat comfort foods aren't as likely to be eaten. You can't eat it if its not there. Don't keep bad, unhealthy foods in the house. If you do, when you're tired or stressed, and at your weakest, you'll find yourself indulging in these foods and you'll feel worse later because of it.

5. Choose healthy snacks. When eating between meals, choose a quality snack that is slower absorbing. By choosing slower absorbing foods you will feel full longer and avoid spikes in your insulin levels. When you eat high carbohydrate foods and spike your insulin levels you experience an immediate sugar high and then about an hour or so later you crash and burn. This is the infamous peak and valley syndrome. It wreaks havoc on you mentally and physically (metabolism). Examples of good slow absorbing foods are a handful of almonds, walnuts, or pecans

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