You didn’t realize how scary some of the classes for your major are going to be. It’s dawning on you that you signed up for one too many extracurricular activities. Rush is upon us, so your next few weekends are chock full before they’ve even begun. The pressure has you doing more than just biting your nails and ruining your fresh manicure—you begin overeating to cope with the stress. But why do we emotionally eat? And more importantly, how do we stop?
Sometimes we use foods as a way to soothe ourselves or cope with negative emotions. Some of the most common perpetrators in addition to stress are anger, fear, boredom, sadness and loneliness. Yummy food can serve not only as a comfort, but also as a distraction from what is really bothering us.
Additionally, chronic stress can trigger the release of a hormone call cortisol. In olden times, when a cavewoman found herself in a threatening or stressful position, like a time of limited food, she produced high levels of cortisol. The cortisol creates cravings for sweet and salty snacks—foods that help you retain weight and avoid starvation. Unfortunately, today we don’t live like that ancient cavewoman who looked bangin’ in her loincloth. We’re lucky to know where our next meal is coming from. But evolution hasn’t caught up with us yet, because stress still can result in these cravings for junk food.
Emotional eating can lead to an unhealthy cycle — your original feelings of stress or unhappiness trigger you to binge (on bowls of popcorn with M&M’S if you’re anything like me) and resultantly you beat yourself up for overeating. Feeling bad for overeating triggers a new feeling of unhappiness, causing you to overeat yet again, and perpetuating the cycle. Our psyches can be cruel.
One of the best ways to cope with stress, and just be in a generally better mood, is to make time for exercise. And although sunshine is rare here in Syracuse, relish the moments when you get a little natural sunlight—it too will boost your mood. But most of all, if you are an emotional eater, take notice of what situations cause you to overeat. Develop some personal strategies to deal with these situations in a healthier way than stuffing your face.
Not sure if you’re an emotional eater? Take this quick test:
http://stress.about.com/library/weight/bl_weight_test.htm
And check out these links for more information:
www.About.com
www.WebMd.com
www.MayoClinic.com