Emotional pounds are often the consequence of poor management of our emotions and stress. When we are overcome by anger, sadness or fear, our body takes care of our survival by triggering chemical reactions that promote fat storage. To lose those extra pounds, it is essential to follow a few simple but effective rules.
Relearning to listen to your food sensations
To counter the urge to eat compulsively under the influence of emotions, it is important to relearn how to listen to your body and rediscover your eating sensations. This allows you to become aware of your true needs and to eat according to your own nutritional needs. Here are some tips:
- Take the time to eat: savor every bite, chew the food well, don’t rush.
- Pay attention to your actual hunger: don’t wait until you’re hungry to eat, but don’t start if you’re not hungry.
- Pay attention to your satiety: stop as soon as you are full, even if your plate is not empty.
Find alternatives to manage stress without eating
When stress sets in, our body reacts by secreting adrenaline and cortisol, two hormones that promote fat storage. To avoid this situation, it is therefore necessary to learn how to better manage your stress.
Perform relaxation exercises
Relaxation techniques are excellent for taking your mind off food and controlling your emotions without resorting to food compensation. For example, you can practice:
- Abdominal breathing: inhale deeply by inflating your stomach then exhale slowly through your mouth.
- Meditation: Sit comfortably, focus on one point and focus on your thoughts and the sensations in your body.
- Yoga: practice flexible movements while maintaining regular breathing to relieve muscle tension.
Finding healthy food substitutes
When you’re overwhelmed by a strong emotion, it can be difficult to resist the temptation to seek refuge in food. To limit the damage and avoid feeling guilty after these uncontrollable periods, try choosing healthier alternatives, such as:
- Fresh fruit rather than a sweet dessert
- Crunchy vegetables to dip in a healthy sauce rather than chips or crackers
- A tea or infusion instead of a sweet soda
- Foods rich in plant protein such as lentils, chickpeas or tofu instead of fatty meats
Confide your emotions to relieve emotional pressure
The need to eat under the influence of emotions is often linked to difficulty expressing and managing what we feel. To avoid falling into this vicious cycle, it is essential to be able to confide your feelings to someone.
- Confiding in a loved one: talking about our problems or suffering with someone close to us can be liberating and allow us to better understand our reactions.
- Follow therapy: a psychologist or therapist can help you identify the causes of your discomfort and offer you solutions adapted to your situation.
- Participate in discussion groups: Sharing your experience with people who are going through the same difficulties can be reassuring and provide support and motivation.
Play sports to relieve tension
Physical activity is a powerful ally in overcoming negative emotions and controlling your weight. Indeed, it allows you to de-stress, let off steam and release the frustrations accumulated throughout the day. It is therefore recommended to practice regular physical activity, at least 30 minutes a day, to stay in shape and avoid breaking down under stress:
- Opt for sports that make you happy: there is no need to inflict a boring or exhausting activity on yourself. The main thing is to find an exercise that suits you and that you can practice with pleasure.
- Vary the activities: don’t fall into routine and try several disciplines to discover which one suits you best: swimming, yoga, dancing, running, cycling, brisk walking…
- Incorporate sport into your daily life: using the stairs rather than the elevator, walking the dog, picking up the children on foot or by bike are all simple and effective exercises to burn calories without thinking about it.
Get enough sleep to control your hormones
A good night’s sleep is essential to regulate our appetite and manage our emotions optimally. Indeed, when we sleep little, our body produces more ghrelin, a hormone that stimulates hunger, and less leptin, an appetite suppressant hormone. To restore this hormonal balance and thus regulate our appetite, it is therefore crucial to ensure that we sleep well:
- Stick to regular schedules: go to bed and get up at the same time every day, even on weekends.
- Create an environment conducive to sleep: cool and quiet room, comfortable bedding, absence of electronic devices that stimulate the mind and delay falling asleep.
- Encourage relaxing routines before bed: reading, stretching, meditation, massages, hot baths… all practices that help prepare the body and mind for rest.
Allow yourself moments of pleasure without feeling guilty
Losing emotional weight does not mean giving up the pleasures of the table. On the contrary, allowing ourselves a small deviation from time to time can avoid the frustrations and sudden cravings that make us fall for the most popular and caloric foods. It is important to make this type of decision consciously and thoughtfully, considering that it is an integral part of the balanced diet process. So, allow yourself these moments of pleasure without feeling guilty, but with moderation and discernment.
