You can meal plan and track your macros religiously but there is one thing that can get in the way of even the most regimented individuals- emotional eating. Sometimes "Emotional Hunger" is stronger than regular hunger. Have you ever felt the urge to snack when you're stressed? Or eat a pint of ice cream after a difficult day? You're not alone. If you struggle with emotional eating I encourage you to be open about it with me and we can work on ways to overcome it together! 5 Tips to Overcome Emotional Eating:
Ditch Guilt. Guilt from overeating can lead to MORE overeating. Instead of letting a viscous cycle begin, put the past behind you and make better food choices starting NOW.
Have a hunger reality check. Is your hunger physical or emotional? Ask yourself if you're hungry for grilled chicken and broccoli. If you're only hungry for junk food, you're probably not actually hungry.
Fight boredom. Instead of snacking when you're not hungry, distract yourself and substitute a healthier behavior. Take a walk, watch a movie, play with your cat, listen to music or read a book.
Don't deprive yourself. It's important to include your favorite foods in moderation. If chocolate covered pretzels are your thing, include a couple of them a few times per week. If you cut them out completely, it will be very difficult to resist eating an entire bag of them in one sitting, especially in response to emotions.
Snack healthy. If you feel the urge to snack when you're bored, sleepy, cranky, or emotional in any way, opt for fresh low calorie foods like cucumbers and other veggies, a sugar free jello, a protein shake, a couple hard boiled eggs, low-fat cheese, cottage cheese, greek yogurt, or berries.
"Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is to try just one more time." -Thomas Edison
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