How Your Emotions affect Your Food Choices

Sharon Moore May 23, 2016

Does cheeseburger sound more appetising for you than a plate of Greek salad when you are having a bad day? What about when you are feeling inspired? Do you prefer yoghurt over ice cream? Our emotions have a great impact on our food choices. That is why it is important to be aware of what we are feeling at the moment and how our body responds to these emotions. This way, we can make a conscious effort to make necessary dietary changes.

Boredom

We all feel bored from time to time, whether we’re at work or just chilling out at home. When you are bored, you become less fully attentive to your surroundings. Being bored is basically the opposite of being mindful. It is easy to reach for a bag of crisps or cookies and mindlessly pig on them when we are bored. This can result to extra calories. So do make an effort to be aware of the present.

Stress and anxiety

If you’re like most people, you probably resort to binge-eating when you are stressed. Stress has been linked to increase in the intake of calorie-dense foods. Whether you are binge-drinking alcohol, snacking on cakes and pastries, or downing on sugary drinks, you may find relief and comfort in food during highly stressful moments. However, it is important to remember that food doesn’t make you less stressed. In fact, it can even make you feel worse as it may bring guilt feelings. Realise that there are other effective ways to deal with stress. They include exercising, meditating, and practising relaxation techniques like deep breathing and visualisation.

Sadness and Shame

In order to ease the sadness, the most common thing people do would be to numb their emotions. And some do it by searching for food. Well there’s a reason for it. Food appears to stimulate serotonin - the happy hormone in the brain that promotes positive mood. But the effect is only temporary. Worse - it can backfire and lead to weight gain and guilt feelings. Sadness and other similar emotions are better dealt with by seeking help from others. Having a good talk with a friend or a family member can help ease the pain. Having someone to listen is a great buffer against whatever life throws at you. Food can never fill your emptiness or cure your pain. If your sadness is already affecting your quality of life, you may consider seeing a therapist as it can be a sign of depression.

Next time you reach for pizza, try to determine what exactly you are feeling. It could be that you are stressed, anxious, bored or sad. Recognising your emotions and dealing with them appropriately can prevent you from indulging in extra calories and help you stay lean and healthy.