How To Control Emotional Overeating - Tricks for Staying on Track

by Sandra Haber, Ph.D.

If you're like most dieters, you know that sometimes your eating has nothing to do with being hungry. Rather, you find that you eat in response to job pressures, family conflicts and feelings such as anxiety, depression or loneliness. We call this emotional overeating and most dieters find it a relief to learn that emotional overeating can be controlled.

Here are some tips to help you succeed in controlling your emotional overeating.

  1. Do NOT Go On A Fad Or Highly Restrictive Diet. These diets tend to give rise to feelings of deprivation and trigger binge eating episodes. Instead, choose a well rounded diet program to follow, with balanced meals and sufficient food to keep you from becoming too hungry.
  2. Track The Emotional Trigqers To Your Overeating. Be especially alert for those situations that trigger internal emotional conflicts--anxiety, anger, disappointment, depression and loneliness. Try to experience these intense feelings rather than silencing them with food.
  3. Substitute An Activity For Overeating. You can learn to manage your emotions without using food. For example, you can write about your feelings in a personal journal, talk out your troubles with a good friend, walk briskly for 15 minutes, watch a favorite movie, or take a warm bubble bath or shower. Be sure to practice your new behaviors every day.

Remember, emotional eating can be controlled. If you have further questions contact your local psychological association or Dr Haber.

Excerpted from How to Stop Emotional Overeating by Dr. Sandra Haber. Full text of this article in written and taped versions available. Send email note for further information: info@DrHaber.com

Dr. Haber is a psychologist in private practice in New York City, an associate clinical professor of psychology at the Derner Institute at Adelphi University and a fellow of the American Psychological Association. She has edited Breast Cancer: A Psychological Treatment Manual (Springer) and co-authored Prostate Cancer: A Guide for Women and the Men They Love (Dell). Visit her web site here

>> see her directory listing here

>> read the companion article on emotional overeating