People under stress behave in two different ways: some stop eating and lose a lot of weight, while others start emotionally eating and gain weight. In addition to negative feelings of stress, the latter also gain extra weight. What are the alternatives to emotionally eating cookies and hamburgers?
Dr. Dennis
Why do you eat more when stressed?
We enjoy tasty food, so it comes naturally to us to cope with feelings of guilt, loneliness, or anger by eating. Many of us remember the situations when we wanted to eat something delicious after an argument with a family member or boss, as eating makes us feel better. The emotional eating algorithm is programmed in us from early childhood as adults often give children something tasty to calm them down.
Signs of emotional eating
Normally, you are expected to feel hungry ===3–4 hours after each meal. Your body sends you a signal that you should replenish your energy by eating. If you start feeling hungry much earlier, it is most likely about emotional eating between meals.
The most obvious symptoms of emotional hunger include the following:
- Occu...
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