Help...I can't stop emotionally eating right now

Does this resonate with you? Are you finding yourself deep in the pantry more often with all of this extra time on your hands and likely heightened levels of anxiety and boredom? I would hazard a guess that for many of us, and especially those who struggle with emotional eating pre-pandemic, this has become an even more challenging time. I want to share 10 strategies to help you manage stress eating while you are homebound.

1. The first question I would have you ask yourself is if you are physically hungry or emotionally hungry? Physical hunger tends to come on gradually, you may feel rumbling in your stomach, you are likely open to many different food options and a normal portion will easily satisfy you. Emotional hunger on the other hand tends to come on fast and furiously and likely in the form of thoughts rather than physical hunger pangs. An apple is unlikely to satisfy you and you are more likely to crave a specific food, taste or texture and to eat large volumes of that food until you are uncomfortably full. Sound familiar?

2. For many people food has become an unconscious response to stress. Anxiety comes on and we automatically reach for the chocolate, likely even before registering how we are feeling. I invite you to use this time when life is a little slower to try to pause before getting to the pantry and explore other ways that you can manage your uncomfortable feelings. Journalling is often a daunting task but you could write down what thoughts or feelings you are experiencing as you are walking to your candy stash. Or even use your journal to create a list of activities outside of eating that you find calming. Reading a book, colouring, enjoy a warm cup of tea…this is entirely personal. However, as you become more in tune with the feelings behind the cravings, I encourage you to take the time to FEEL. A quote that stands out for me is that “we need to feel it to heal it”. You can empty you entire pantry and still feel unsettled if you aren’t making the space to truly tune into your emotions. If you need to cry, grab your Kleenex and let it all out.

3. Another strategy is to MOVE. With so much extra time on our hands, we have less excuses for why we aren't moving our bodies. Go for a walk, try a free online workout, do yoga or just put on your favourite song and dance. Movement releases endorphins which are hormones that help lift our mood and it also gives us more space to feel into our emotions.

4. Meditate. Again this is often something that people are uncomfortable doing but it does not have to be formal. You can put on your favourite song and lie down with your eyes closed listening to it. You can sit in silence for a few moments and simply breathe. Or you can follow a guided meditation on a free app such as Insight Timer or Calm. As long as you are taking the time to slow down and tune inwards, there is no right or wrong way to do it.

5. Keep a food diary. This is one that I personally struggle with as I often stop filling it out if I feel I ate something that I shouldn’t have. However it can be a powerful exercise to get a sense of what time of the day your cravings tend to come on. It is not only helpful to track what you are eating, but also how you are feeling when you reach for certain foods.

6. Be sure you are balancing your plate at every meal. While stress often has us craving those carb heavy foods, try to ensure you are also including protein and healthy fats to help balance your blood sugars and keep you more satiated. And if you want a snack, portion it out rather than eating directly from the package. Put some chips in a bowl or a few cookies on a plate and ENJOY them!

7. Remove the temptations. If you are stockpiling and hoarding food right now, leave out the more tempting ones. If it’s not in your house, you are obviously less likely to eat it especially since public outings should be drastically reduced right now.

8. When you are feeling ready to go on a sugar binge, call a friend and try venting to them about how you are feeling. Talking things out might lessen the craving and make you realize that you aren’t actually physically hungry.

9. Try to eliminate distractions while you are eating and be more mindful during meal times. If you are scarving food down while scrolling social media or watching TV, you likely aren’t even registering that you are eating or feeling fullness cues.

10. Watch your self-talk and try to make it more positive. When you are feeling shame and guilt, you are more likely to reach for food causing more shame and guilt and keeping yourself stuck in a perpetual cycle. Be gentle with yourself during this stressful time. You are doing the best that you can.