Are you a stress eater?

For some people, stress eating is a constant phenomenon. For others, it might happen at some moments.

Now you must be thinking, is stress eating really that bad?

After all, eating is an enjoyable activity. Not to mention that it also keeps us alive and active. I wouldn’t deny any of these facts as they’re true. However, eating should come naturally and not as a trigger.

Here’s the problem with stress eating. You get your hands on anything you can have because

Why are some people stress eaters?

Stress can be different for everyone. If you’ve fallen for stress eating, you may be dealing with some hidden physical and psychological issues. Now what could these be?

Stress eaters pick up eating as a coping strategy. It comes to them almost like a habit. And most of the time, there’s a reason behind it even if you don’t immediately understand it.

As for emotional triggers, there could be plenty. Typically, it’s the repetitive emotions that come back to you again and again. And every time that you decide to eat when you’re sad, for example, you develop it into a habit.

Having said that, it’s no wonder that stress eating is also known as emotional eating.

What are the types of emotions behind stress eating?

We all experience life differently. Some people bury themselves under work and don’t feel stressed out most of the time. For others, even working for a bit could take a toll on their health.

So here’s the thing. You need to pay attention to the emotions you feel right before craving for food. If you’re a stress eater, one, some, or many of the following could be possible triggers.

• Habits
• Exhaustion
• Boredom
• Sadness

If you identified with any of the above, great! But it’s okay if you couldn’t. The next time you feel sudden pangs of hunger, I want you to take note. Write down your feelings in your diary. Eventually you’ll notice a pattern of repetitive emotions and you’d be able to reveal your stress eating trigger.

Also note that you could have a mental disorder too. And I wouldn’t classify that as an emotion as it’s more of an illness.

How can you get rid of stress eating?

So, stress is different for everyone. If you were able to And when you’ve done that, the basic step is to redirect your energy.

So suppose you find yourself stress eating out of boredom. The next time you feel bored, you must resist the urge to eat by recognizing your hunger(eat if you are hungry)if not  physically hungry, replace it with a productive activity. Pro-tip: you’re more likely to engage in it if it’s something you enjoy doing.

Recap

As you can see, emotional awareness is key! Having negative emotions is normal, so long as you know how to redirect them. Every time you sense the stress eating trigger about to take over you, get busy in a productive activity.

And if you’re feeling confused, I would like to help you. My name is Amy de Jesus and I can assure you that stress eating is beatable. Join hands with me and we can work on giving you a better and more fulfilling life.