Emotional eating or eating with your feelings will hinder your weight loss management. People who are trying to lose weight need to get to the root of why they are prone to emotional eating. If they can get passed this urge, they stand a better chance of losing the weight and keeping it off.

Most of the time, the urge to eat something has little to do with being hungry. And with emotional eating, those urges are cravings for foods that do little in the way of adding nutrition. They are comfort foods like potato chips or ice cream. When emotions take precedence, no other food will curb that need. It doesn't take much to trigger the urge either, and this is what makes losing weight so difficult.

Emotional eating adds pounds which only causes more emotional eating, and if the person doesn't get to the root of it, she will never be satisfied with her weight. Self-esteem will drop and she won't like herself very much. The feeling of guilt after every piece of cake will only bring on more emotional eating.

Emotional eaters need to get to the root of their problems. They need to discover the reasons for those urges. And those reasons vary from one person to another.

Keep a diary that includes how you feel that day and why you feel that way, as well as what you've eaten. In time you'll notice on good days, your food intake may be less. Or the bad food intake may be less. The pattern it reveals will help you recognize your urges.

Once you've recognized when those urges arise, you may be able to find another way to relieve it, like taking a walk, deep breathing, drinking a glass water. Do something that involves working with your hands. Anything that will divert your attention from the need for food.

Keep healthy alternatives in your food pantry. Don't shop on emotional days or on an empty stomach. If you do, your cart will be full of comfort foods.

Don't feel guilty when you slip up. It happens to everyone. Focus instead on a thinner, healthier you. Stay positive. Smile and stay active even on days you don't feel like smiling or moving. Don't validate the emotions with food, but validate them by working through them. Know they're there and you'll have a better chance of losing the weight and keeping it off.


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