There have been many articles about how to lose weight, eating right, getting some more exercise, willpower are all highlighted and are obvious factors, However a recent study showed that only 1 in 10 people connected the emotional eating as a key factor.
We eat to sustain life, however, we also use it as reward, comfort and celebration. While that can be a positive experience, it does trigger the brains response to feeling good (dopamine is released), but the brain does that for any positive feeling, unaware of it being food or not. That’s where issues arise, we repeat the behaviour because we felt good after it – we associate it with food, which then takes us into a cycle of eating for comfort and feeling rewarded by it. Without dealing with the emotional issue, you can’t get past the need to keep self soothing with food – which won’t help you achieve your goal, which in turn, will ensure you look for comfort….and so the cycle continues.
Ask yourself if you’re really hungry, don’t restrict yourself (you’ll find out quick enough that you become focused on what you aren’t allowed), keep a food diary, and if you struggle perhaps see a registered professional.