We often hear the term “emotional eating” used in a derogatory way:
“I’m so bad for having chocolate.”
“I really want chips, but I haven’t burnt off enough calories today.”
“I messed up my diet when I ordered pizza last night.”
Me too. It’s in our pop culture, media, and advertising too! But it’s misguided. Emotional eating isn’t something to be vilified but gently understood & mastered.
We humans are emotional beings. We feel or seek to feel. So it’s only normal that we find emotion in food. I hear way too many people say that their love for food is their biggest flaw or the reason for their weight changes or health problems. But the truth is we will never not eat emotionally. We cannot separate emotions from food.
We usually eat for one of three reasons:
- To satisfy a physical need
- To satisfy an emotional need
- To satisfy both.
When we just need to fill our stomach, eating out of functionality – meaning without that “yum” factor – can suffice. In that case, the emotion is the simple expectation of fullness. But there is at least one meal or snack where our body will look for an emotional satisfaction – meaning another dimension to food that goes beyond filling up our stomach.
So why do we demonize emotional eating when it’s inherently a part of us?
We’re human, not robots! And a beautiful part of what makes food so special is emotions. Emotionally eating isn’t just “eating your feelings.” Emotional eating is also—
- Celebrations
- Connecting to our cultures
- Feeling a piece of home or childhood
- Traditions
- Fun
- Tasting & discovering new foods
- Finding pleasure (ever heard of a foodgasm??)
Emotional eating isn’t just about eating when you feel negative feelings; it’s about feeling joy, happiness, and satiation too! In fact, emotions are the only reason you have a favorite food and enjoy going out to restaurants so much.
Your body always knows what’s best for you.
You can:
- Eat your favorite foods without feeling guilty
- Simply eat because you want to (even if you’re not hungry!)
- And feel totally in control without worrying about binge eating or feel ashamed afterward.
You can’t avoid body cues, but you can recognize them and respond to them.
Instead of running away from emotional eating, learn how to recognize it & understand it. It will lead to a much more peaceful relationship with food, more satisfaction, and less stress.