Emotional Eating-To indulge or not to indulge?

While writing this article, I just went through the last piece of Haldiram’s Soan Papdi at 2:00pm this afternoon, delaying my physical hunger and deeply satisfying my emotional hunger, the childhood memory of watching the Soan Papdi cart passing by on lazy Sunday mornings. Back then, Soan Papdi’s used to be sold on carts lugged by vendors. The sweet used to be housed in this huge transparent glass globe. And the sweet itself was different looking than today’s Haldiram Soan Papdi, but what can one do, we just have to make do with satisfying a childhood memory in today’s modern day packaging.

Food serves many purposes. A bag of potato chips is an ideal partner while you watch re-runs of CSI.  Chocolate chips cookies and milk are a great combination while you sit cramming for exams. Nothing€ can separate you from Ben & Jerry’s while you sit, mending a broken heart.  Toffees for good behavior, and chocolates bars for better behavior. We live in a society that rewards us with food for a job well done, or to lift our wallowing spirits. So here we are, feeding two kinds of hunger-physical and emotional. 

When do you choose ice-cream?

Even the fittest of fitness freaks and the healthiest of healthy cannot get away from satisfying a craving once in a while. And why not?  Our society sanctions it and research clarifies it (when our body needs certain chemicals we will be drawn to that kind of food). Also, the wrath of a pregnant woman is not pretty, if you don’t let her indulge in some comfort food every now and then.

So are all kinds of emotional eating ok? Of course not!  Here are some things to consider before you & I take on the next Soan Papdi, or that bag of potato chips.

A lot of studies and a lot of psychological articles online and off encourage you to ask yourself the following questions:

• ·         Are you hungry for a particular food?
• ·         Did your hunger come on suddenly?
• ·         Have you been eating larger portions than usual?
• ·         Do you eat at unusual times?
• ·         Are you stressed at work, with a relationship or in any other part of your life?
• ·         Have you had to deal with a life changing event lately?
• ·         Have you gained a lot of weight in a little time (or gained too much weight that is unusual to you) because of eating?

If you answered ‘yes’ to these questions then you are emotionally eating. If you are physically hungry you don’t particularly crave for a certain kind of food, if it is physical hunger it comes on slowly so that when you are just lightly hungry you can sense it, if you are eating to satiate physical hunger then you will know when to stop and physical hunger has a cycle to it. Most studies suggest that if you ate around 200-500 calories you shouldn’t be hungry in the next two or three hours.

Comfort food is called precisely that because it brings comfort. Comfort from some pain, stress, sadness, boredom, and worse still from depression, poor self-esteem, loneliness, etc. It is also comfort/ reward for a job well done, for satisfying unmet needs and more.

If you find yourself answering ‘yes’ to the above questions, more often than not, and if you are also stressed about how much you eat and how difficult it is to control it then something is up and you need to take action before it becomes a binge eating disorder or other eating problems. Here are something’s you can do to stay healthy while eating.

Go on, Eat: If you are indulging in food one too many times for reasons beyond physical hunger then take a few moments and consider why that is so. Are you choosing food to substitute for an emotion that is unbearable? Is it a boss, a parent, your husband or a whole lot of events that have come together to overwhelm you?  If that is so, just make a note of it. Sometimes, nothing can be done about our stressful events, at least that’s how it feels, so when you do feel that way, just note your stress, and if you are eating, continue eating, but mindfully. Savor every piece and morsel of what you are eating; enjoy the sight, smell and flavor of your food. Enjoy how your body responds to your food. And once you are done, move along. Try and enjoy some healthy comfort food do. I often substitute oranges (one of my favorite fruits) with a savory snack. While binging on anything is not the greatest, at least binging on something healthy helps a little.

Indulge in healthy self-care:  a variety of aspects in our lives can trigger emotional eating. While recognizing your trigger is the first step, you will also need to establish self-care routines that become a part of your everyday life. It could be running on the treadmill or a walk in the park for 30minutes every day. Investing in 20 minutes every day to eat without any distractions can go a long way in appreciating food, your body and your life in general. Think about a healthy/ positive option that can help you relax every day and make it a part of your life. Studies state that eating relaxes your system by activating the parasympathetic nervous system that is why we indulge in emotional eating, however unhealthy in the long run.  Break this cycle by partaking in healthy self care that will in itself activate the parasympathetic nervous system.

Emotions are okay: Emotions can be overwhelming, especially when we have learnt that emotions are not okay to express. Checking in with yourself is a great start to acknowledging that you do feel something regardless of what emotion it is. Emotions are a natural part of our lives, like breathing or thinking. Take a few minutes to just invite your overwhelming emotions to sit with you. If emotional eating has already lead to increasing ill health, poor stamina,  poor self-esteem and worse still a binge eating condition, you will need to get in touch with a counselor and a nutritionist to help you work on your emotions and food.

So go on and indulge, but be mindful about what you are eating, enjoy it while staying aware of your emotions as you eat. 

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PS: Nithya thanks for the topic! I love to write about mental health and wellbeing, if there is something you want me to write about, ask away!