Stress Eating/Emotional Eating

Have you ever come across a point where you turn to food when you’re stressed or overwhelmed with something? Do you turn to eating junk foods or just feel like eating too much as a way of overcoming stress? That’s called stress eating or rather known as emotional eating

What Stress Eating/Emotional Eating Is

Stress eating, or rather known as emotional eating, is defined as a way of suppressing or soothing negative emotions like stress, anger, fear , boredom, sadness and even loneliness – most of them being triggered by major life events and they can trigger these negative emotions and disrupt your weight loss efforts. (Source: “Weight Loss: Gain Control Of Emotional Eating” from Mayo Clinic; https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/weight-loss/in-depth/weight-loss/art-20047342#:~:text=Emotional%20eating%20is%20eating%20as,disrupt%20your%20weight%2Dloss%20efforts.)

It is also defined as a pattern of eating where people use food to help them deal wih stressful situations.

What triggers emotional eating:

• Relationship conflicts

• Work/other stressors

• Fatigue

• Financial pressures

• Health problems

Stress can sometimes push people to overeat, most of them being unhealthy foods like high-fat sugary foods. According to a study published in American Psychological Association survey, about one-fourth of Americans rate their stress level on a scale of 8. (Source: “Why Stress Causes People To Overeat” from Harvard Health Publishing; https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/why-stress-causes-people-to-overeat)

Why people stress eat or overeat?

There are some research that suggests gender difference in stress-coping behavior wherein women turn to food and men turn to alcohol or smoking. Research shows that work related stress and other sort of problems correlate with weight gain, but only in those who were overweight fom the beginning.

Emotions, though, are not the only triggers that lead people to emotional eating. Other factors include:

• Boredom

• Habits

• Fatigue

• Social influences

(Source: “How Do I Stop Stress Eating?” by Nicole Galan from Medical News Today; https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320935#triggers)

Ways To Manage Stress Eating

1. Practice mindful eating

2. Find healthier options

3. Watch portion size

(Source: “Tips To Manage Stress Eating” from John Hopkins Medicine; https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/tips-to-manage-stress-eating)