Top Three Binge-Eating Triggers and How to Beat Them

Amy Taylor June 16, 2016

Have you ever found yourself pigging out on fatty foods after a stressful workday? It’s true: our emotions affect our appetite. Whether you are stressed, bored, anxious or sad - sometimes, we find comfort in food. Well, eating really feels comforting. But when we go overboard, the negative emotions strike back and we end up not only feeling guilty but also gaining extra weight.

But don’t worry. It’s not you alone. Many people out there classify themselves as binge-eaters during stressful moments. Some are tagged as emotional eaters. We all eat for a lot of different reasons apart from being hungry.

The good news is we can actually do something to prevent ourselves from binge-eating. And the trick is in getting more aligned with our emotions. Acknowledging them and addressing them directly, instead of resorting to food for comfort. Here are some of the most common binge-eating triggers and how we can address them:

Boredom

We all get bored from time to time, especially when we are doing nothing. Remember that one lazy Sunday afternoon. It was your rest day and you had no plan off going out. You just sat there in front of the television, trying to entertain yourself. But the TV shows at that time weren’t that interesting. Without a second thought, you went straight to the kitchen. And binge-eating began.

So how do you prevent this scenario from happening again? It is important to realise that boredom can be fought in many other ways, besides eating. It would be best to plan for your activities on days when you will not have a lot to do. Maybe you have been wanting to sketch for a long time now, watch a new movie, read a book, or clean your space, instead of mindless snacking. Or maybe, you have been trying to reach out to a friend or relative. Dull moments like this can be turned into something meaningful and memorable by having a phone call with the people you love.

Stress

Stress is something that we can never avoid. Our daily life can be filled with so many stressors, some of which are way beyond our control. Nonetheless, there is something that remains to be within our power: and that’s our mental and physical response to stress. It is important to recognise what your stress triggers are as they could be different from one person to another. Second, put a plan in place so when you feel stress is on its way, you can take a step back and remove yourself from the situation. It’s really helpful if you can learn about the different non-food techniques to deal with stress, such as practising deep breathing exercises, talking a walk, working out, and doing yoga. It is also a good idea to bring healthy snacks with you wherever you go. So the next time you feel like snacking, you’d have something good to eat.

Tiredness

Being tired puts a lot of stress on your body and can drain your energy. That is why it is normal to experience a spike in your appetite after a tiring activity. And when you are tired and hungry, you look for anything fast to eat. You’d rather buy a takeaway than cook your meal. Trying to resist junk food becomes a big challenge. You’ll never know when will be the next time that you will feel tired. So it is important to be prepared. You may want to consider making frozen meals ahead so you’d have something quick to prepare when you are too tired to cook. This way, you can avoid buying fast food on the way home.

How about you? How do you resist mindless eating when you are bored, stressed or tired? We’d love to hear your ideas and suggestions. Feel free to post a comment below.