Speaking of love, do you feel like food is your love language? Is it a source of comfort and familiarity? Is it something that you often lean on when you are feeling stressed, sad, overwhelmed, etc?
‘Emotional eating’ is something that we all hear a lot about, and it seems that diet culture has put a toxic spin on that exact phrase. ‘Emotional eating’ is often also tied to things like ‘a lack of self-control’ or a sense of being ‘out of control.’ This results in a strong sense of guilt and shame when someone does engage in any sort of eating stemming from an emotion.
In fact, all eating encompasses some sort of emotion, whether we are excited to have a favorite meal, nostalgic having a childhood snack, or disappointed that your delivered food is lukewarm. So, with that logic, all eating is emotional eating! As humans, we are always experiencing emotions and that includes when we eat, too!
It is not inherently wrong to experience different emotions while eating and also not wrong to respond to emotions with food – after all, food is meant for enjoyment and providing comfort! On the other hand, this relationship can be warped if we rely on food as our sole or main coping mechanism. Food can sometimes play the role to help avoid negative and unpleasant emotions, that is for a short while until it quickly and oftentimes turns into feelings of guilt and shame. Keep reading below for ideas of mindful coping skills to practice and incorporate into your daily life.
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Chat with a friend or family member – or even call or Facetime them.
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Engage in one of your favorite hobbies or activities.
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Journal about your thoughts.
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Make a list of what you are grateful for.
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Practice positive self-affirmations.
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Reach out to a healthcare professional for advice and tools.
