How To Stop Emotional Eating

If you want to know how to stop your emotional eating, you have taken the first step to solve this problem. Addicts come in many forms and dealing with emotions vary, such as by smoking, shopping, doing drugs or emotional eating. All of these activities in excess are bad for your health and wallet. Stopping emotional eating is in your grasp with a few easy steps.

1. Keep a food journal. Write down every time you eat anything--every cracker, grape and piece of candy and note where you are and why you are eating. This makes you accountable for your actions and allows you to see patterns and keep track of what you are consuming. At the very least, if you have a weight problem, you may notice you are not eating the right foods, too much food or not enough food.
2. Rank your hunger. If you believe you are hungry, rank your hunger from one to five (one being not being hungry and five being starving). Ideally, you should always be looking to eat when you are near a four and not waiting until you are a ravenous five. Note how you are feeling at the time: Are you happy? Stressed? Anxious? Content?
3. Determine your triggers. By keeping a journal for your food and thoughts, you should see a pattern of your triggers. Some people indulge when they are happy, while others only indulge when they are anxious. Some can’t look at food when they are sad, but love to eat when they are happy. People also eat when they are bored and do not realize how many calories they have consumed.
4. Measure your food--eat on smaller plates. It may seem obvious, but controlling your portions will help you lose unwanted weight that is making you unhappy. Putting your food on smaller plates makes your meals seem as big as before, but will cut down on the possibility of large portions. Eating smaller meals frequently keeps your blood sugar regulated and helps you not need to over-eat.
5. Start a new hobby. Many people who emotionally eat do so out of boredom and stress, but having a hobby that releases stress and provides meaning will make your life more full and keep you out of the fridge. Hobbies can turn into careers if it is your job that has you down. Maybe you are meant for better things and giving yourself a hobby is telling yourself you deserve to do what you value and enjoy. This leads to a more satisfying life.
6. Get support. If you are eating just because you are bored, you need to find activities and interests in your life because eating away the boredom is not making your life any better--it is slowly killing you. Seek help from other friends, family members or groups who also have the same issues. Many people emotionally eat; you are not alone.