When you're feeling stressed and worn out and you get the sudden urge to eat a bite of food to put you at ease, stop for a minute before eating and think about what you're feeling. The following tips can help you control your anxiety to eat:
- Eating is not the solution to your problems. Prepare yourself mentally. This will help you balance your eating habits and eat in moderation. Ask yourself if you're really hungry and when was the last time you ate. If you're not sure, wait 20 minutes and ask yourself again.
- While you eat, free yourself from worry. Eat in a peaceful place and eat slowly, savoring the taste and texture of each food. Make eating a conscious act, so you notice when you're full and avoid overeating.
- Once you've finished eating, focus on the fact that you've eaten a complete, healthy meal, and that you don't need to stuff yourself to feel good. Complement yourself, dress up a little more, or reward yourself with something new to wear.
- Participate in activities that aren't related to food, such as going to the theatre, volunteering in a social event, going to a soccer or basketball game, or signing up for swimming, dancing or yoga lessons.
Most importantly, make food a secondary priority in your life. Learn how to eat to live and not live to eat.
