In order for you to control emotional eating, it is imperative that you identify the situations, events, people, and feelings that trigger your emotional eating episodes. This is not too difficult, if you think about the circumstances that typically surrounded your emotional eating episodes. Is it after an argument with your spouse? Is it when you are bored or depressed? Is it after a rough day at work? Perhaps it’s after speaking to a loved one you haven’t seen in a long time. Once you identify these triggers you will begin to see patterns, and then you can find alternative ways of dealing with these feeling that do not involve food.
I tend to eat emotionally in the following situations:
I tend to eat emotionally in the presence of…
I tend to eat emotionally when I feel:
I eat emotionally as a way of…
Once you’ve identified the situations, feelings, and events that trigger your emotional eating, it is crucial that you have alternative ways of dealing with these emotions that do not involve food. In the exercise below, please identify at least 3 alternate actions you will take when you are feeling the emotions listed below. An example has been given for each category.
Instead of eating when I’m bored I will:
1. Listen to my favorite CD and dance like a maniac
2.
3.
4.
Instead of eating when I’m sad I will:
1. Call a friend who makes me laugh
2.
3.
4.
Instead of eating when I’m lonely I will:
1. Enjoy a cup of hot tea while reading a book at my favorite bookstore
2.
3.
4.
Instead of eating when I’m stressed I will:
1. Go for a long walk
2.
3.
4.
Instead of eating when I’m angry:
1. Journal my feelings
2.
3.
4.
Brought To You By: Prograde Nutrition
