You know that feeling. You’re stressed, tired, bored – you forgot to run the dishwasher, and now you’re starving. It’s been a grueling day! Before you know it, you’ve reached for the nearest bag of chips and a bowl of ice cream, and now you’re in a chip-ice-cream-induced coma.
But is emotional eating really as bad as you think? Is it worse for some people than others? Unfortunately, there are many myths around this issue that can actually make your problem worse.
Here are some of the most important myths about emotional eating disorder to be aware of and avoid to live a healthier and happier life.
How to be aware of your thoughts and assess them logicallyEmotional Eating Disorder: 7 Myths to Avoid
If you frequently turn to food to deal with your emotions, it’s essential to seek help from a professional. Emotional eating can indicate an underlying mental health condition, such as depression or anxiety.
Treatment can help you manage your emotions healthily and reduce your reliance on food.
Myth #1: Emotional Eaters are Weak-Willed and Have No Self-Control
Emotional eating has nothing to do with willpower or self-control. Instead, you use a coping mechanism to deal with difficult emotions. And like any coping mechanism, it can become harmful if used too often.
Myth #2: Emotional Eaters Only Eat Junk Food
Emotional eating can involve any type of food, not just junk food. In fact, some emotional eaters may even avoid junk food altogether because they see it as a trigger for their overeating. For example, eating too many apples is less harmful to your body, but if you still consume too much food for your body’s needs, it will still lead to health issues.
Myth #3: Emotional Eating is Always Unhealthy
There’s nothing inherently unhealthy about emotional eating. It only becomes a problem when it leads to overeating or eating unhealthful foods. So, for example, what is the harm if you can train yourself to eat just a serving?
Myth #4: You Have to Be Overweight to Be an Emotional Eater
Anyone can be an emotional eater, regardless of their weight. Emotional eating is about the emotions, not the weight. Many people who are emotional eaters will also revert to not eating due to the same reasons they overeat – emotions.
Myth #5: You Can’t Control Emotional Eating
While it may seem difficult to control emotional eating, it is possible. It takes effort and self-awareness, but with time and practice, you can learn to control your urge to eat emotionally. Start with practicing meditation or mindfulness to increase your self-awareness. The more awareness you have, the more self-control you can gain too.
Myth #6: Emotional Eating is a Sign of Weakness
While it’s true that emotional eating can be a sign of underlying emotional issues, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the person is weak. In fact, emotional eating can be a way of coping with difficult emotions. When done in moderation, there is no harm. The harm comes when you overeat or undereat based on emotions. So don’t be too hard on yourself. Just try to be aware of why you’re doing it and ensure that it isn’t negatively impacting your health.
Myth #7: You Can’t Control Emotional Eating
While it may seem difficult to control an emotional eating disorder, it is possible. It takes effort and self-awareness, but with time and practice, you can learn to control your urge to eat emotionally. For example, you might start counting calories or serving sizes to help moderate your consumption
Be Aware Of Your Thoughts and Assess Them Logically
Mindfulness gives you knowledge. It supports you to be aware of your thoughts and to be able to assess them logically. It’s achieved by staying focused upon the present and one’s thoughts, feelings and bodily sensations. Awareness means you’re able to feel what’s going on in your body. It means you become aware of your thoughts and have clarity about them.
Sometimes it’s easier to practice mindful fitness if you’re learning a new exercise or trying a new program. Download my free report, Top Mindfulness Exercises to learn 4 mindfulness exercises to not only improve your emotional wellness, but your physical wellness too.
