One of the main reasons people overeat or binge on unhealthy foods is a desire to feel better and to comfort themselves. This is most often in response to stress.
There is a reason it is called comfort food, you know. We turn to these foods because they make us feel better, they calm our emotions, and they remind us of simpler times when things were not so difficult in our lives but remember, these feels soon pass and can often become feelings of guilt.
The compounds and chemicals in foods that release feel-good hormones and enzymes in our brains are among the least healthy. Salt, fat, and sugar all light up the same parts of your brain that other unhealthy substances, like drugs and alcohol, do.
The smells and tastes of many of our childhood treats also conjure positive emotions that we wish to reconnect with when we are feeling stressed. So, while your mum’s chocolate cake (which she likely made once a year as a special treat) made you feel wonderful as a child, you now seek out the same response any time life gets a little overwhelming.
Learning to reduce stress is important, as is developing coping strategies for managing your response to stress that does not involve food.
Tracking what you eat while also noting your emotional state is essential when trying to identify stress-related psychological blocks.
What are the conditions that cause you to binge, reach for unhealthy choices, or to overeat? Getting a handle on this will help you avoid these in the future.
Would you like some help overcoming these challenges and achieving your weight loss goals?
If you would like to discuss your health and fitness goals, please click here: to speak to Salisbury's leading women's online weight loss coach and personal trainer, Erak Simsson.
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