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Our emotions can cause us to over eat; in fact, our feelings are thought
to cause over 75% of overeating, those who eat because of their feelings
will consume large quantities of food not because they are hungry but
as a form of comfort.
Identifying triggers which cause emotional over eating
It is thought that situations and emotions which cause over eating can
be put into 5 different categories, these are:
Social over eating
Over eating when around other people can be a cause, there are several
factors which can have an affect on this, being encouraged by others to
eat, having arguments with others or feeling inadequate when around others
are just some of them.
Emotional over eating
This can be in response to boredom, stress, fatigue, tension, depression,
anger, anxiety or loneliness. Over eating in this way is often done as
a way to fill in the void felt.
Situational over eating
This form is simply over eating because the opportunity to do so is there,
examples of this are because you are in a restaurant with others, passing
a bakery store or seeing an advertisement for a particular food. This
type is also associated with activities such as watching the TV, attending
sporting events or when at the movies.
Negative thoughts
This type of over eating is categorised by feelings of low self-esteem
or self-worth, an example of this type is telling yourself off for not
being able to resist over eating and therefore putting yourself into a
continuous circle.
Physiological
This is categorised in response to physical clues such as skipping meals
throughout the day and there having increased hunger pangs or eating to
help cure a headache or some similar pain.
Breaking the habit
Once you have identified the habits which cause or contribute to your
over eating then you have to break the habit, this can be achieved by
a variety of means with some simple ways being:
* Listen to your favourite music instead of eating
* Going for a short walk
* Take a long hot bubble bath or shower
* Perform some deep breathing exercises
* Meditate
* Call a friend and talk for awhile
* Do some housework or gardening
* Take up a new hobby.
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