Emotional Overeating (COVID-19 Edition) Part 3: How to Overcome Emotional Overeating (Appetite Hacking)

How to Eat to Stop Emotional Overeating

When you think of stopping emotional overeating, does it seem like an impossible goal? You’re not alone – many people who suffer from this problem feel imprisoned and helpless. It can seem like you are unable to break free from the overwhelming emotions and habits. But there’s good news – it’s a treatable problem.

Being honest with yourself is an important first step. Emotional overeaters tend to judge themselves pretty harshly, but don’t – you’re not an isolated case or some kind of freak. It’s a sign of strength to seek help! It means you’ve identified the problem.

If you’re struggling with this problem, there are some things you can do to get things under control while you’re seeking professional help. Here are some tips.

Your Grocery List

When an emotional moment hits and you head for the refrigerator or pantry, what kind of foods do you usually go for? Often, emotional overeaters head for high-calorie comfort foods like ice cream, chips, or candy bars. But you can’t eat those things if they are not in your house! Here are some examples of foods to put on your grocery list in place of the ones you may be tempted to buy. (Another tip – buy only the foods on your list. Compulsive buying of food is tempting.)

• Brown rice (instead of white rice)
• Millet based meals (instead of wheat)
• Fresh fruits and vegetables (rather than canned)
• Low-fat, low-calorie yogurt (rather than ice cream)
• Popcorn kernels for air popping (rather than chips and fatty snacks)
• Lean protein like fish, turkey, and chicken (instead of beef and processed meats like suya and sausage)
• Natural, healthy cooking oils like groundnut oil, palm oil, and soya oil (instead of shortening, lard, or unhealthy oils)

Don’t Crash Diet

It’s good to be proactive in solving problems, and emotional eating is no exception. If you try to crash diet, you may find yourself eating more after the crash diet is over. So, rather than stopping eating everything you love, try some of these tips.

• Increase your consumption of nutrient-dense foods. Akumbo Mills offers a range of nutrient-dense gruels, which are perfect for hacking down your appetite. Check out our products here: https://www.akumbomills.com/shop/
• Allow yourself to have a dish of frozen yogurt each week as a treat. This approach tends to be easier than just cutting out all frozen treats. You could use this approach with other “naughty” foods, too – it may be easier to resist if you know you are going to have that food on Saturday (or whatever day of the week you choose to have a small treat).
• Boost your nutrition with a good quality vitamin and mineral supplement.

Eat Regular Meals