The stress, apprehension and the fears coupled with the necessity to be home-bound have been a major part of our life over this past, complex year.  Any one of the above are challenging – the combination has caused many of us to engage in emotional eating that has no relationship to our physical hunger.

To overcome emotional eating we would like to offer a few suggestions:

1. Keep a food diary. Make a list of all that you eat. This is a beneficial tool because when you document your food consumption you elevate awareness to what you consume

2. For one week try to be meticulous about documenting everything that you eat – what, when and how much

3. Document your feelings at the time that you ate: Were you hungry? Did you have an urge for a specific food?  Were you angry or stressed? This documentation will help you understand why you eat at times that you are not hungry

4. Embrace habits that make you feel good. Think of ways that you can overcome your boredom and stress. Things like taking a walk, having a  conversation, reading a book, listening to music or engaging in a physical activity can be good alternatives to emotional eating

5. Give yourself a “no food zone”, a buffer space in which you know that even when you are angry or upset you wait at least five minutes before you seek comfort from food

6. Treat the challenge of overcoming emotional eating as a learning experience. If you find that food helps you deal with your feelings, try to understand the situations that are more complex, for you personally

7. Utilize all resources available to you. When there are challenges that you find overwhelming, seek professional help

Above all – Safeguard your Heart; safeguard your health