People eat for a lot of different reasons and hunger is usually
far down on the list of reasons for reaching for a snack. The most
common reasons we all eat is:
If you have convinced yourself that all you need to do is cut back on your eating in order to lose weight, then you may be sabotaging your diet plans before you even begin your latest weight loss plan. Why? Because the reason we gain weight in the first place usually has a lot more to do with what we are feeling than what we are eating.
The amount of calories we take in may ultimately add girth to our bodies, but the reason we take in those calories is usually a lot more difficult to deal with than simply cutting back on the foods we eat.
Look at the list of reasons why we eat above. If you find yourself grabbing something to eat for any of the reasons listed, then you may find losing weight a bit harder than you first thought.
Losing weight is going to take a lot more than willpower: it is going to take an understanding of your eating issues and the motivation to change how you deal with stress, boredom, fatigue and a number of other emotional issues.
The first step to breaking this overeating cycle is to first learn what your triggers are. What is most apt to send you to the cookie jar? A tight deadline at work? The business of after-school life? A demanding spouse? A crying baby? Once you are able to recognize what tends to send you snacking, you will be in a much better position to find alternative ways to handle life's stressors.
Next, be prepared to acknowledge those negative emotions. Most stress or emotional eaters use food to stuff bad feelings. Until you face what's bothering you, you will continue to try and eat them away.
Whenever you find yourself reaching for something to eat ask yourself "why." Why am I reaching for food? Am I hungry, or is something else triggering my need to eat? The simple act of analyzing your eating habits can go a long way to helping you break unhealthy ones.
Finally, whenever you feel that tug to snack, be sure to only choose healthy, low-fat ones. Instead of grabbing a handful of potato chips; grab some whole wheat crackers or dried fruit instead. If you are truly hungry, have some yogurt, crisp veggies or a low-cal treat instead.
Losing the weight you want isn't just about cutting back on the calories you eat (although that is important). In addition you must learn how to deal with your emotions in order to stop using food as a therapy method instead of as, well, just fuel for your body.
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- to relieve stress (stress-eating)
- to feel included (social-eating)
- to stuff away our emotions (emotional-eating)
- to occupy ourselves (boredom-eating)
- to relieve fatigue
If you have convinced yourself that all you need to do is cut back on your eating in order to lose weight, then you may be sabotaging your diet plans before you even begin your latest weight loss plan. Why? Because the reason we gain weight in the first place usually has a lot more to do with what we are feeling than what we are eating.
The amount of calories we take in may ultimately add girth to our bodies, but the reason we take in those calories is usually a lot more difficult to deal with than simply cutting back on the foods we eat.
Look at the list of reasons why we eat above. If you find yourself grabbing something to eat for any of the reasons listed, then you may find losing weight a bit harder than you first thought.
Losing weight is going to take a lot more than willpower: it is going to take an understanding of your eating issues and the motivation to change how you deal with stress, boredom, fatigue and a number of other emotional issues.
The first step to breaking this overeating cycle is to first learn what your triggers are. What is most apt to send you to the cookie jar? A tight deadline at work? The business of after-school life? A demanding spouse? A crying baby? Once you are able to recognize what tends to send you snacking, you will be in a much better position to find alternative ways to handle life's stressors.
Next, be prepared to acknowledge those negative emotions. Most stress or emotional eaters use food to stuff bad feelings. Until you face what's bothering you, you will continue to try and eat them away.
Whenever you find yourself reaching for something to eat ask yourself "why." Why am I reaching for food? Am I hungry, or is something else triggering my need to eat? The simple act of analyzing your eating habits can go a long way to helping you break unhealthy ones.
Finally, whenever you feel that tug to snack, be sure to only choose healthy, low-fat ones. Instead of grabbing a handful of potato chips; grab some whole wheat crackers or dried fruit instead. If you are truly hungry, have some yogurt, crisp veggies or a low-cal treat instead.
Losing the weight you want isn't just about cutting back on the calories you eat (although that is important). In addition you must learn how to deal with your emotions in order to stop using food as a therapy method instead of as, well, just fuel for your body.