When food cravings occur, we do not eat because we are hungry but because we are presented with a physical need that is really difficult to control. We end up in the kitchen destroying everything that comes our way, and all this is due to an emotional response that we must learn to control. For this reason, in this article, I bring you a series of tips to put a stop once and for all to what is known as anxiety to eat-
Common causes of anxiety to eat
The main cause that leads to uncontrollable anxiety about food is often found with poor management of negative emotions. Especially, it occurs in situations of stress, concern, or concern about some issue that disturbs us. All this has its explanation; now, we are going to analyze the main causes that lead to anxiety to eat.
Temporary relief from negative emotions
This situation occurs mainly because when we eat, we release different types of hormones, including dopamine, also known as the happiness hormone ,For this reason, if one is used to using food as an escape route, it is totally normal for our body to seek to “cheer up” and get out of that negative emotion with food. Thus, we will obtain temporary relief from sadness or stress, at least while we continue eating. This can be very dangerous because, on many occasions, we will eat more than our bodies can assimilate, producing vomiting, obesity, or cholesterol.
Inability to manage emotions
We learn many things every day, but it is true that we do not usually learn to manage our emotions. Anger, love, or frustration are really strong and energetic emotions.
If we do not learn to manage them properly, we can suffer the consequences such as hurting ourselves physically or emotionally. In addition, when there is this mismanagement, and it ends up overcoming us, it is when we can present what is known as anxiety to eat to compensate for these emotional imbalances. We are obtaining a positive response that frees us for a moment from the emotions that we cannot control.
Suppress negative emotions
Since we-were little, we have been taught that emotions such as sadness, anger, or frustration are bad and that we-should avoid them or at least repress them. That is when the escape route from food can begin. Food gets an escape role that seeks to cover those emotions that try to get out at all costs. If you have felt totally identified, do not repress them, there are no good or bad emotions. We must learn and understand each of our emotions or feelings to grow as people.
Using food as a source of pleasure
This situation occurs especially in people who, most of the time, are depressed or frustrated by the current life situation. A situation that can begin to be avoided with a good organization of your day-to-day fills your life with new aspirations and long-term purposes with the aim of improving yourself.
How to differentiate anxiety to eat with real hunger
The longer you have been with the anxiety to eat, the more difficult it will be to differentiate it from real hunger since both situations will begin to unite to the point that it will be almost impossible to differentiate it. This type of situation is better to try to correct it as soon as possible, to avoid reaching this extreme. Some of the clues that we can observe to differentiate anxiety to eat with real hunger are:
- Real hunger gradually appears little by little; we can even endure without eating without getting nervous. Whereas the anxiety to eat appears suddenly, and it is really difficult not to rush to the kitchen to destroy everything in between.
- When it comes to real hunger, it does not matter so much the type of food you are going to eat, but when it is anxiety to eat, it usually concentrates on a specific type of food, and in many cases, it is usually junk food.
- When eating, the real hunger disappears and decreases little by little, while the craving for the anxiety to eat does not disappear until you dedicate yourself to stop; that is, the limit is set by your emotions or your time, not the stomach.
How to combat food cravings
In order to control and combat anxiety about eating, we can follow the following steps.
Identify the cause
In order to choose the best way to manage anxiety about eating, the first step will be to identify the main cause. What is the feeling that prompts us to act in this way? It can be sadness, frustration at work … Find the cause that is causing this; this is how we can try to find an alternative solution.
Managing emotions
We need to learn to manage our emotions so that we do not use food as an escape route when the situation gets complicated. Do not view emotions as good or bad; just learn from them and understand them.
Find a hobby
A good alternative is to find a hobby that you like or are passionate about to help you relax and improve your day. you can focus on drawing, reading a little, making healthy recipes in the kitchen, exercising outdoors, going for a walk …
Organize your day
Don’t let the day go by and let it dominate you. Organize your day to focus on your dream and that the day goes as you had organized. It is true that there will be unforeseen events, but don’t let that interfere with your goal of being better.
Practice yoga
One yoga session a day will help you release tension and the mind. In this same blog, you will find some keys to start yoga at home that will help you get the most out-of it. In addition, it is also useful to keep a yoga journal to record all your mental progress and your progress in this philosophy.
Get enough sleep
A rested mind is a calm mind; sleeping the hours you need, you can have your mind more relaxed and reduce anxiety about eating. If you find it difficult to sleep, you can use some type of relaxing infusion or include food to sleep better in your diet. I hope I have helped you to know a little about what are some of the causes of anxiety about eating, and you can always include some of these tips to put a stop to it.