Stressing about food causes overeating

Friday, July 15, 2011 by: Elizabeth Walling
Tags: overeating, stress, health news

(NewsTarget) If you have weight you want to lose, it`s hard not to judge every bite of food you take based on whether you think it`s helping or hurting your fat loss goals. The problem is that when these thoughts become constant and even obsessive, they can actually backfire and interfere with both our goals for weight loss and optimal health.

The Stress-Eat-Stress-Eat Cycle

The problem begins when we place too much emphasis on our food choices. Eating healthy is obviously important, but if you`re constantly worrying about what you`re going to choose for your next meal, then it`s going to have a negative impact on your health.

That`s because the simple act of being stressed triggers a reaction in your brain and your body. Stress hormones like cortisol are released, and your body may crave comfort foods in order to stimulate the production of neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin to calm you down and to restore your sense of wellbeing.

It`s very simple: worrying too much about whether the food you`re eating is unhealthy or fattening may actually lead you to eat more of the foods you want to avoid!

How to End the Cycle of Overeating

To end this cycle of obsession and overeating, it`s important to learn how to take emotion out of the equation. This means not letting your food choices trigger a pattern of anxiety, obsession, fear and guilt. All of these are toxic emotions that influence your brain chemistry in a negative way, which can lead to cravings and overeating.

If you have a mental habit of worrying about food choices, then it will take time to reverse this habit and form more positive thought patterns about the food you eat. Here are a few helpful ways to get you moving in the right direction:

1. Learn what true hunger feels like.

2. Honor your hunger and fuel your body`s needs.

3. Allow yourself flexible boundaries. Too many restrictions can lead to anxious and obsessive thought patterns for many people.

4. Eat food you enjoy! This doesn`t mean indulging in every single junk food that crosses your mind. Instead simply choose to eat food that is truly enjoyable to you.

5. Moderate indulgences are fine. When we repeatedly deny our cravings, we assign too much emotional value to food. Knowing that you are free to indulge moderately will help eliminate obsessive compulsive overeating.

6. Practice meditation and positive thinking in general. This will help you develop more positive mental patterns about food as well.

7. Forgive yourself. If you binge on junk food, don`t make it worse by wallowing in guilt. This will only serve to deepen the pattern of anxiety and overeating. Simply learn from your mistakes and move on.

For More Information:

http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/09/18/why.ove...

http://www.casapalmera.com/articles/compulsi...

http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.a...

About the author

Elizabeth Walling is a freelance writer specializing in health and family nutrition. She is a strong believer in natural living as a way to improve health and prevent modern disease. She enjoys thinking outside of the box and challenging common myths about health and wellness. You can visit her blog to learn more:
www.livingthenourishedlife.com/2009/10/welco...