Written by: Deepa Sarkar
Emotional eating is where an individual eats to cope with emotions and not hunger. It could be stress, boredom, sadness, or even anxiety.
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Recognizing it is the first step toward change. Learn 5 key signs of emotional eating & how it differs from physical hunger.
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True hunger builds gradually; emotional eating is urgent. You might crave chips, sweets, or junk food suddenly after a stressful moment or emotional trigger.
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If you eat food to cure loneliness, stress, or sadness, it is most likely emotional eating because it gives you temporary comfort & not a long term relief.
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Emotional eaters tend to override their internal cues for fullness, so you might eat beyond satiety, followed by guilt or regret. This usually happens when emotions override body signals.
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Eating at odd hours, late night snacking, or snacking after meals often may be a sign that there's eating going on to fill a psychological void rather than a physical one.
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A very important red flag is feeling shame or guilt after eating, entirely the reverse of mindful eating. Regret arises from emotional eating, especially when the act of eating is not because of hunger.
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Emotional eating can silently impact your health and mood. Realizing it sooner rather than later helps cultivate a mindful eating practice, manage emotions better, & prevent long-term issues like weight gain.
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