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Are you eating to fulfil your emotional needs rather than physical needs?

With so many of us working from home (WFH), there has been changes in our lifestyle including out nutrition. Personally, I feel there is less rush and some wonderful positives - for us a family, we have more time to focus on cooking and eating meals as a family and have tried out new recipes. I definitely want to keep these routines going as commitments start to mount up again.

However, there is the other side too!

Do you find you are snacking more? On social media, I have seen many posts about the children asking for 'snacks' throughout the day and us as adults devouring through the biscuit barrel! Do we need those snacks? Is it because we are satisfying emotional needs through food or are we actually physically in need of some food.

 

Did you know?

Did you know that emotional *hunger comes on suddenly?

Whereas, physical hunger comes on gradually.

 

Did you know that emotional hunger feels like it needs to be satisfied instantly?

Whereas, physical hunger can wait.

 

Did you know that emotional hunger craves specific foods?

Whereas physical hunger is open to options - lots of things sound good.

 

Did you know that emotional hunger is not satisfied with a full stomach?

Whereas physical hunger stops when you are full.

 

Did you know that emotional hunger can trigger feels of guilt, powerless, and shame?

Whereas eating to satisfy physical hunger does not make you feel bad about yourself.

 

*I am using the term *hunger in a general term, I do not mean that we are exceptionally hungry, but feeling the need for some nutrition.

 

Some questions to ask yourself...

If we can create more of an awareness of our emotions and our responses then we can plan ahead and put in strategies to support ourselves.

For example:

What the root of the emotional hunger? Think about the causes - stress, time management, boredom - are there changes that you can make?

Increase your awareness - which foods/drinks do you eat when you are emotionally hungry? Which foods/drinks do you eat when you are physically hungry?

What is relationship between your mood and food? Are their times of the day, or certain days of the week or the month?

Delve more into Emotional Eating and what it means for you by listening to my workshop above 🙂

 

Kirsty

kirsty@infinitebalance.co.uk

 

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