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Emotional Eating Making Peace with Food

Presented by: Dr. Dawn-Elise SnipesExecutive Director, AllCEUs

Objectives Define emotional eating Explore emotional eating in terms of its

beneficial functions and rewards Discuss why restrictive diets do not resolve

emotional eating Identify interventions to help emotional

eaters

What is Emotional Eating Eating in response to emotions and feelings

other than hunger. Eating AT someone (You made me do this) Eating to forget/distract Eating to feel better (release serotonin and dopamine) Eating out of boredom Eating out of habit

Not all emotional eaters have an eating disorder You do not have to “binge” to be an emotional

eater

Why is Eating So Soothing Eating as an infant often involved closeness

and parental attention (oxytocin) Caregiver generally happy during feeding Food may be associated with sleep (night time

bottle) Eating as a toddler

Exploration and mastery Power and control Formation of memories around foods Unhealthy foods usually reserved for treats or

rewards

Soothing cont… Culturally we associate eating with caring

and celebration Low blood sugar an cause feelings of

depression/anxiety which are quelled by food

Evolution predisposes the human body to crave high-sugar, high-fat, high-calorie foods for quick energy and to prepare for famine

What is Behind the Craving First rule out physical causes

Low blood sugar (anxiety, irritability, fatigue) Lack of sleep (sugar and stimulants) Dehydration Nutritional Causes

High carbohydrate/starchy foods: Serotonin, endorphins

Chocolate: Magnesium, serotoninFatty foods: Omega-3Soda: Calcium

What’s behind… Then rule out habits

Is there a particular time or activity that makes you crave this food?

Are there particular times you mimndLESSly eat?DrivingTelevision

Are you going too long between meals then needing a sugar boost (which leads to a sugar crash…)

What’s behind… Rule out eating for…

Comfort Escape

Increase MotivationEating for Whenever I

wantEating for Hunger

Benefits EmotionalMentalPhysicalSocial (Alternatives??)

EmotionalMentalPhysicalSocial

Drawbacks EmotionalMentalPhysicalSocial

EmotionalMentalPhysicalSocial

(Alternatives??)

Emotional Eating Interventions Mindful eating

Food diary

When eating…Use a plateSitEliminate distractionsFocus on the food

Time Craving (food, salty, sweet)

Emotion or State

Because of

EE Interventions cont… Try to avoid setting up a binge by

Restricting certain foods Buying a bunch of “comfort foods” Going too long without eating

Initially distract (bath, walk, call a friend, facebook…)

Identify the emotions If it is depression: Hopeless, helpless If it is stress/anxiety/anger: Failure, Rejection,

Loss of control, the unknown

General Coping Develop alternate ways of coping with

distress Distract Talk it out Journal Make a pro and con list Focus on the positive View failures as learning opportunities Identify whether it is worth your energy

General Coping Develop alternate ways of coping with distress

ABCs: A= _____ C= Emotional Reaction Eliminate vulnerabilities Be compassionate with yourself Urge surf

Other tools Close the kitchen Brush your teeth Meditate

ACT for Emotional Eating What am I feeling/thinking What is important to me Will eating get me closer to what is

important to me What other things could I do that would get

me closer to my goals Choose to let it go Solve the problem Change the way you feel/think about the problem

Holiday Help Choose lower calorie foods Keep water or a low calorie beverage in your

hand Talk Stay away from the buffet Rehearse refusal skills Pay attention to your distress meter. Keep an index card with your coping mantra

and two reasons you don’t want to eat.

Summary Holidays bring out a lot of emotions for

people Some people struggle with depression,

anxiety, jealousy, grief and anger during this time.

When constantly bombarded with high-fat, high carbohydrate foods, people are tempted to eat to feel Calm Happier Numb

Summary Emotional eating, like most other escape behaviors

Never addresses the underlying emotions and their causes

Often results in physical issues such as weight gain, poor sleep, reduced energy (sugar crash)

Some people try to “undo” emotional eating by restricting other calories which leads to a nutritional deficit and more cravings

Emotional eaters need to First find a way to stop before they eat Second identify the underlying reason for eating Address the thoughts and emotions leading to the urges