In my last blog, I wrote about how food affects our mood and how we can get trapped in a cycle of emotional eating. There’s no getting away from it – our minds and bodies are intricately connected, especially with the choices we make around food.
In this blog, I’ll continue to explore the profound influence our emotions have on our eating habits, unravelling the mind-body connection and how understanding this interplay can empower you to make healthier, more mindful choices.
Our emotions
We are emotional beings, whether we show them easily or not. Sometimes it may seem like we are ruled by these emotions. The choices we make, the actions we take, and the perceptions we have are all influenced by the emotions we are experiencing at any given moment.
There are many theories as to how many emotions we as humans experience. Research in the 1970s identified six basic emotions: happiness, sadness, disgust, fear, anger and surprise. A 2017 study, however, identified 27 different categories of emotion! There is no fixed answer to this, and we all experience them differently along a spectrum often feeling many at once. This makes the whole subject of emotional eating complex and subjective – what triggers one person does not trigger another.
The Complex Dance of Emotions and Eating
Emotions wield a powerful influence over us, they can enhance or sabotage our lives. I’m sure many of you have been told to never make a big life decision when feeling negative emotions. Yet when it comes to our food choices, our unconscious minds take over.
During times of stress, we might gravitate towards more comforting foods, seeking solace in the familiar tastes and textures of items like warm soups or indulgent desserts – much of which can be traced back to childhood. On the flip side, in moments of joy or celebration, there’s a tendency to associate positive emotions with special meals or treats, creating a link between happiness and particular foods. Conversely, when feeling down or anxious, we may turn to specific snacks as a form of emotional support, finding temporary relief in the act of eating. Then, there are some of us, who may stop eating altogether when experiencing big emotions.
In these instances, eating becomes a coping strategy, providing a momentary escape from the nuances of emotional experiences. Let’s have a look at that in more detail.
The Role of Stress Hormones
Stress hormones, particularly cortisol, play a significant role in the mind-body connection, influencing food choices during heightened stress. When stress levels rise, the body’s physiological response initially may suppress appetite, then cortisol may stimulate appetite during our recovery from stress. If we stay in a space of chronic stress, we tend to eat more energy-dense comfort foods high in sugar and fat.
These foods can temporarily alleviate stress and provide a sense of relief. However, in the long term, they provide little nutrients, contribute to weight gain and perpetuate the cycle of emotional eating.
Emotional Triggers and Food Cravings
You may have many emotional triggers which bring on specific food cravings. Boredom can lead to a desire for snacks with varying textures and flavours, providing stimulation and distraction. Loneliness might prompt cravings for familiar, nostalgic foods associated with comfort and connection. Frustration can elicit a preference for quick, convenient foods as a means of coping. Sadness or depression may lead to erratic eating habits and constant snacking or binge eating.
The Nutritional Impact of Emotional Eating
Consistent patterns of emotional eating can have long-term nutritional consequences. Relying on high-calorie, low-nutrient comfort foods and erratic eating patterns often leads to weight gain and can impact your overall health negatively. The nutritional impact extends beyond the immediate emotional relief, emphasizing the importance of adopting a balanced and mindful approach to nutrition.
Acknowledging these consequences is a crucial step toward cultivating a healthier relationship between emotions and dietary choices. Understanding your emotional triggers will help you take back control and manage food cravings.
How to manage emotional eating
There are many steps you can take to understand your emotional eating patterns. Journaling, keeping a food diary and working with a therapist can help uncover what’s going on for you.
Mindful eating serves as a counterbalance to the emotional influences on dietary choices. This practice involves being fully present during meals and engaging all senses in the eating experience. By savouring each bite, you can cultivate a heightened awareness of the flavours, textures, and even the emotions associated with your food choices. Mindful eating promotes a more intentional and conscious approach to nourishment, breaking the automatic responses linked to emotions.
Identifying Emotional Hunger vs. Physical Hunger
Distinguishing between emotional hunger and physical hunger is important. Genuine physical hunger typically manifests gradually, accompanied by stomach growling and a steady increase in appetite. Emotional hunger, on the other hand, tends to arise suddenly, often triggered by specific emotions rather than a physiological need for nourishment.
Learning to recognize these cues empowers you to make more intentional choices about when and why you eat. Next time you reach for a snack or open the fridge – stop and think for a moment and ask yourself ‘Am I really hungry or do I have an emotional need right now?’
Breaking the Cycle of Emotional Eating
Breaking free from the cycle of emotional eating involves several key strategies. Identifying emotional triggers requires self-reflection and increased awareness of the emotional cues that prompt overeating. Developing alternative coping mechanisms, such as engaging in regular exercise, practising deep breathing, or pursuing creative activities, redirects the emotional responses away from food. Creating a supportive environment, whether through social connections or professional guidance, plays a crucial role in providing the necessary tools for overcoming emotional eating patterns.
The mind-body connection, revealed through the intricate dance of emotions and eating choices, can be an opportunity to approach our diets with newfound awareness.
If you need some support in navigating this journey then reach out. I have helped many women break free from this cycle and improve their weight, health, energy levels and overall well-being.