Food is a basic need for survival, and also a significant part of our lives and how we relate to others. For the vast majority of us, food and the act of eating carries a lot of emotional meaning. We often see it as a comfort in times of distress, part of celebrations, or even when we are bored and so on. We use phrases in our culture such as: comfort food, food is love, and stress eating to describe the role of food in coping with hardships and also supporting those around us. Our first instinct when someone has a new baby, suffers the death of a loved one, or encounters difficulties is to provide food. While food is associated with comfort and joy, our relationship with food can be challenging at times, particularly when eating feels out of control or we struggle with weight. Dieting is often a solution to manage increasing weight, however it doesn’t address the emotional connection to food and often results in frustration and feeling deprived. This week I describe strategies to explore connections between emotions and eating in order to improve our relationship with food when it feels out of balance.
Hunger vs. Emotional and Environmental Eating Cues
Food is very reinforcing, which makes sense. It is a source of energy we need to survive and function. Our bodies are designed to give us cues when we need fuel such as feeling sensations of emptiness in our stomachs, feeling lightheaded or even irritable (i.e., “hangry”). However, we don’t necessarily need to be hungry to eat. Much of our food tastes good and it is enjoyable to eat. Eating actually signals the release of certain pleasurable neurotransmitters in the brain which is very reinforcing. Over time, we make connections between eating and feeling good which can lead to eating for other reasons beyond satiating hunger. There are also a lot of other cues in our environment that prompt us to eat. We often eat for a variety of reasons including:
When we feel stressed or anxious
When we feel sad
To celebrate an occasion
To socialize
When we are bored
Based on the time of day (e.g., eating at noon because it is “lunchtime” vs. actually being hungry)
Being in a certain location or engaging in a specific activity (e.g., snacking while watching tv at night, eating popcorn/candy at a movie theater, eating hotdogs/snacks at a sporting event, etc.)
Being polite or not wanting to refuse food if it is offered to you
Everyone has their own cues to eat and often we confuse hunger with an emotional or environmental cue to eat. When we eat primarily in response to these cues instead of hunger cues it often puts us in caloric surplus and leads to weight gain over time. This can create a problematic cycle considering negative emotions may prompt eating and then eating may result in feelings of guilt or feeling badly about doing so.
Strategies for Exploring Emotional/Environmental Eating Cues
We are often aware of some of the emotional or environmental cues, but not all of them. I find that I become much more aware of actual hunger vs craving signals when I am in training phases for cycling events that require me to monitor my nutrition and caloric intake more closely. Simply increasing my awareness about what I am eating helps me differentiate between when I need to eat vs. when I want to eat. Here are some strategies to use to better understand and reduce emotional/environmental eating cues:
Observe. In a non-judgmental way notice what hunger cues you are experiencing as well as what emotional cues are prompting you to want to eat. What feelings are you experiencing before and after you eat? Are you feeling hungry? Is there a pattern in the environment that prompts you to eat? Do you have rules about food that no longer serve you (i.e., I have to clean my plate and finish my meal even if I am feeling full/satiated)? Often a food journal can be a useful tool to keep track of this information.
Pause. If you notice a pattern between emotional/environmental cues, take a pause before eating. We tend to eat immediately rather than thinking about if we are actually hungry. Instead, engage in an alternative activity or wait 15 minutes before acting on the desire to eat. This is also a good time to assess what emotions you are experiencing in that moment. Often cravings that are not hunger based will pass.
Eat mindfully. Try to be present and mindful about eating. Eating is pleasurable so enjoy it and focus on it. When we eat while we are on auto-pilot or while multitasking we tend to eat more and ignore cues that we are full.
Replace food with other coping tools. If food is a comfort in times of distress, focus on building other coping behaviors that reduce difficult emotions such as exercise, meditation, social support, etc. Try to be proactive in addressing difficult emotions to reduce the need for food.
Be compassionate. If you identify patterns, be kind rather than harsh to yourself. Remember to coach yourself toward changing rather than being critical of existing patterns. Being harsh creates more distress which may actually increase the desire to engage in emotional eating. Think about how you would support a friend or loved one in your position.
Avoid deprivation. It is important to be aware of hunger and not let it get out of hand. We tend to overeat once we feel too hungry. Notice cues early and respond. Also, food is a part of our culture and often is pleasurable. Focus on moderation when eating during social occasions, holidays, etc. If there is a particular food you love, don’t try to abandon it completely. When we tell ourselves we can’t have something, we often want it more.
Reduce Food Triggers. If you have certain foods that spark emotional food cravings limit easy access to them. For instance, if I have ice cream in the house I want to eat it. If I know it is not an option, I don’t give it much thought. Increasing access to healthy and nutritious food and reducing access to food triggers helps encourage eating based on hunger rather than emotions.
Overeating vs. Binge Eating
While overeating and binge eating have some commonalities, binge eating disorder is a serious clinical diagnosis and warrants professional treatment and support. It’s important to distinguish between the two. Binge eating disorder has specific criteria which include:
Feeling out of control during an eating episode (e.g., feeling like you can’t stop or control how much you eat)
Eating significantly more than most people would with in a limited time frame (such as 2 hours)
Hiding binging behavior from others—engaging in binging behaviors alone or in secret
Eating faster than normal and to the point of feeling uncomfortable
Feeling guilt, shame, disgusted with oneself after these episodes
Engaging in episodes at least weekly over a period of at least 3 months
Final Thoughts
Last week my brother and sister-in-law just welcomed a new baby into the family and my husband and I are currently staying with them to provide support. Watching a newborn makes it very clear how our emotional attachment to food develops. While a baby responds to hunger cues for survival, they also experience other reinforcement while eating. When a baby is being fed, they are held, feel safe, comforted, and soothed. These experiences quickly become associated with eating. We learn that food is comfort and love from the time we are newborns. It’s clear why food is associated with pleasant emotions throughout our lives. However when we rely on it too much to satisfy emotional needs or it feels like it controls us, it may be useful to take a closer look at what motivates us to eat.