How to Eat: Stop Emotional Eating : The 15 - Day Program to Stop Compulsive Eating and to Burning Excess Fat Through Hypnosis (Series #3) (Paperback)

While the word emotional eating mostly refers to eating as a means of dealing with negative emotions, it also involves eating for positive emotions such as eating foods to improve an already good mood while enjoying an event or eating.

Emotions still push the eating in these conditions but not in a negative way.

We don't feed all the time just to relieve physical hunger.

Many of us even turn to food for warmth, relief from stress or for self-reward.

So we tend to reach for junk food, cookies, and other soothing yet unhealthy foods when we do.

When you're feeling down, you could reach for a pint of ice cream, order a pizza if you're lonely or bored, or swing through the drive after a stressful day at work.

Emotional eating uses food to make you feel better- to fulfill your emotional needs, rather than your stomach.

Normally, it does make you feel worse. Afterwards, not only remains the original emotional issue, but you also feel guilty of overeating too much.

• Will you eat something else when you feel stressed?
  
• Do you always eat when you're not hungry, or full?
  
• Do you eat to feel better (when you are sad, angry, depressed, nervous, etc.) to calm down and soothe yourself?
  
• Are you recompensing with food?
  
• Do you eat until you have stuffed yourself up regularly?
  
• Is it food that makes you feel safe? Would you think food is a friend?
  
• Would you feel powerless around food, or out of control?

If you are unable to handle your feelings in a manner that does not include food, you will not be able to control your eating habits for a very long time.

Diets fail so often because they offer sound nutritional advice that works only if you have conscious control over your eating habits.

If emotions hijack the cycle it doesn't work, expecting an immediate reward of food.

Comprehending the emotional eating process or just knowing the causes is not enough, but it is a significant first step. You need food alternatives you may turn on to for emotional fulfilment.