5 Consequences of Emotional Eating

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 05, 2012 | POSTED BY DR. GOULD

Everyone knows about the PHYSICAL health risks of having poor eating habits and/or being overweight. However, some people don't realize the EMOTIONAL health issues that are fueled by emotional eating. Eating for emotional reasons has many hidden consequences. Here are five you should take into consideration.

1. Emotional Eating Can Damage Your Relationships

Relationship stress is one of the most common triggers for over eating. When there's tension, or in the aftermath of a fight, food seems like a safe haven. Once in a while, this escape into flavor is normal. However, the more accustomed you get to the relief, the sooner and more frequently you will turn to food when the going gets rough in a relationship. You may find yourself making a trip to the kitchen at the very first sign of tension, instead of working through your differences in the living room with your spouse, friend, or family member.

As time goes on, problems pile up in the relationship, tensions build, and tempers flair. The habit of turning to food for comfort gets so ingrained that you don't use or learn the necessary skills of communicating in order to get your needs met or deepen the intimacy. Maybe next time, you can say to the other person, "Can we calm down and talk about this as mature adults?"

2. Emotional Eating Can Cause You To Neglect Your Ambitions

Many people overeat to relieve frustration about where their life is going. You might feel stuck or under-appreciated, and turn to food as a reward. When this habit gets out of hand, you will begin to neglect your ambitions. Instead of going out there and pursuing long-terms goals, you may more and more frequently turn to food for fulfillment.

Think about what it is you really want to do in life or what you want to be more of. Keep in mind that you can't do it overnight, however, if you take one step after another, you will move in the right direction.

3. Emotional Eating Bottles Up Your Feelings

It's obvious that emotional eating pushes down unpleasant feelings. In the moment, this seems like a great thing. However, feelings need to be addressed. They demand to be addressed. You might be able to avoid them for a while, but the important ones will keep coming back, in new and more unpleasant ways. The more you overeat to deal with your emotions the more emotions pile up in the background, and the more overwhelming it becomes.

If you are not ready to express yourself out loud to others, then write them down, as you feel them in the moment. Then go back and review them later with a more calm and positive perspective.

4. Emotional Eating Makes Your Fears Seems Larger Than Life

Everyone has something they don't want to think about. It could be a challenge waiting on the horizon, or a particular shortcoming you think you might have. Many emotional eaters use food as a way to handle these sorts of fears and doubts. Rather than address the concern with practical, no-nonsense solutions and steps, you retreat into food for comfort.

The habit of numbing yourself with food prevents you from facing your issues directly. Then your unresolved issues take on a life of their own. Rather than being a simple challenge or self-doubt, they begin to grow and grow until they seem impossible to face. When a "fear" feels larger than life, eating becomes even more alluring.

Try making a list of your concerns and evaluating them one at a time. First challenge your assumption that it is actually LIKELY to happen. Then if so, ask yourself if it would be BEARABLE to deal with. If you THINK about it, you may find that you can handle more than you FEEL you can.

5. Emotional Eating Can Make It Harder To Love Yourself

Anyone that truly knows the pain and struggle of a food obsession knows how much baggage comes along with it. Much in the same way relapsing smokers and alcoholics beat themselves up and belittle themselves for their lack of control, emotional eaters feel like their struggle is a moral failing, something that's wrong with them. Many describe themselves as "failures" or "losers." Despite having achieved many great things in their life, the emotional eating habit determines how they feel about themselves. This negative self-image leads to more emotional eating. It's a vicious cycle that robs you of your self-esteem.

Pay more attention to what you do well and appreciate the qualities and skills that you do have, rather then the ones you don't have yet. And know, that in most cases, it's just a matter of time and effort to acquire or polish the skills you need to feel good about yourself.

Conclusion

The bottom line is that these consequences of emotional eating are real and difficult to deal with. The good news is you can end emotional eating and that it's even easier than it feels. Pay attention to your feelings and use your mind to sort them out before you turn to food.

The key is to start thinking about "why" you want to eat, rather than "what" you want to eat. At the same time, start making small, positive changes in the way you respond to tension and stress in your life.

These small proactive steps will begin to snowball, just like emotional eating, but in a positive direction. The better you feel about the actions you take, the less you will eat, which will make you feel better, which will make you eat less, which will make you feel even better, and so on.

Are you ready to start thinking and feeling better about yourself?