Last updated : Monday, July 20, 2009

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How to Put an End to Emotional Eating

Close up of woman eating cake

Whether it's your hectic work schedule, finances, or simply something in your personal life, most people suffer from some sort of stress. But the problem is, instead of handling it head on many people turn to food to cope with these emotions. One iMag viewer recently sent in a question about her experience with emotional eating. We set her up with our weight loss expert, Chris Mohr, to help her stop snacking when she's stressed. Here is what he had to say ...

iMag Viewer: My dad recently suffered a heart attack and has some other health issues going on as well. It's stressing me out and I'm finding that I quickly resort to "stress foods" such as chocolate, chips, cake, etc. You name it, I'll eat it and I can't stop. Can you help?

Chris Mohr: First, let's get something out of the way ... when you say, "I can't stop!" you're wrong, you can. Change your mindset. The only obstacle in your way is you.You have to remember that eating junk won't help your father. When you're on an airplane and going through the initial safety descriptions, they tell you that in case of an emergency put your oxygen on first, before you try to help anyone else. That is because YOU will be better able to help others if you take care of yourself, first. 

Now, let's get to the root of the issue. It's very common to stress eat. In fact, the foods we choose (usually high sugar, higher fat foods) have been shown in research to actually temporarily decrease cortisol levels (a stress hormone). However the problem is that it's like cutting off your arm and trying to stop the bleeding with a band aid. It's a temporary fix at best. And a vicious cycle for sure. Try these three steps to help you take control of your emotional eating.

1. Get the junk out of your house, so at least if you're craving something, you'll have to take that extra step of taking a trip to the grocery store to buy food. This simple act of increasing the time between you and the food can decrease the chances of your overindulging.

2. When you're stressed, get out of the environment you're in and step away from the food. If you're at home or work, go for a ten minute walk. Get out of the emotional zone.

3. Respond, don't react. Most cravings are automatic associations (think movie theatre and popcorn, for example). Make a decision in advance as to how you will respond to situations when they arise and practice strategies daily.

Do you have a weight loss question for Chris Mohr? Send it in to iMag! For more great nutrition tips click onto iMag's Food Section. 

About the Expert: Dr. Chris Mohr is a weight loss expert, who teaches people how to lose fat permanently. His expertise has been sought out by LL Cool J, Food Network Chef Emeril Lagasse, Fitness Celebrity Denise Austin and he is the sports nutritionist for Under Armour. He has written over 500 articles for consumer publications, such as Prevention, Men's Health, and Weight Watchers, and is a nutrition advisor for Men's Fitness Magazine. An athlete himself, Dr. Mohr is a finisher of the 2008 Louisville Ironman. For more information visit www.MohrResults.com.

 

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