Defeating emotional eatings

Weight Loss Tips

When you feel stressed, distract yourself.
Listen to music or read a book. Call a friend on the phone. Write a letter or catch up on e-mail. Clean out that overflowing closet. Do anything to divert your attention and resist the urge to eat.

When you feel anxious, exercise.
Depression is a sure trigger for snacking. New research has shown that light regular exercise such as walking can improve your mood and make you better able to resist temptation. Exercise also regulates blood sugar levels, making you less hungry. It also boosts your metabolism, helping you burn calories, even long after you have stopped working out.

Break your snacking habits.
If you always stop for coffee and a donut on the way to work, change your morning ritual. Drink your coffee at homebefore you leave or take a different route to work. If you usually have a chocolate bar at 3pm, take a brisk walk instead.

Reward yourself.
Many of us reward ourselves with food. As you begin to drop weight, celebrate with other things - like new clothes, pair of shoes or CDDVD you have been planning to get.

Don't let yourself get too hungry, angry, lonely or tired.
These are four triggers that can push us to binge on the junk food. Overeaters call them halt emotions. So remember, don't skip meals and you won't feel hungry. Diffuse your anger with exercise so you don't give into temptation. Socialize with friends so that you don't feel lonely and sorry for yourself. Get plenty of rest so that you don't get weak and lose your resolve.

Lose weight for yourself not others.
Your partner may want you to lose weight. Your kids or even friends may want you to lose weight. But the only way you are really going to do it is if you want to. The pounds will not come off until you make the decision.

Love your body.
Self-hate is self-defeating. You are watching what you eat because you want to look better. Hating the way you look can fill you full of loathing and make you give up. So, love yourself the way you are but also love yourself enough to get healthy and lose weight.

Heal the hurt in different way.
Don't turn to Ben & Jerry for solace if your sweetheart breaks up with you. I know "Why should I watch my weight anymore? Nobody loves me!". But by healing your broken heart with chubby hubby or chunky monkey, you are onlu hurting yourself in the end. Instead, sit down and compose a letter to your ex and get out all your hurt and anger. Then when you have finished venting, rip the letter into tiny pieces and throw it out. No, you are not going to send it. Why bother? He or she is not worth it and you are not getting back together. But it will make you feel a whole lot better to get everything off your chest rather than indulging in a high-calorie pity party.

Keep track of what you eat.
This can be tim e consuming and gets old pretty fast, I admit. But if you can continue to do it, you will get a handle on your eating and a feeling for how much you should be eating. Buy a small diary and log everything you eat or drink. Or just write down everything you eat whenever you are upset or tired. This will help you to recognize the things that trigger your over-eating.

Keep a diary.
This is not about food, it's about sorting out your feelings and figuring out why you overeat. Just taking the thoughts in your head and putting them down on paper can help you see your problems more clearly.

Identify your danger foods.
Then put them down in black and white. Whether your weakness is chocolate or you can not resist chips or binge on donuts, just add them to your list. Then make these foods off limits. But be realistic. don't make your list too long or you will feel you can't eat anything. Just list the foods that get you into trouble - the ones you feel you can't stop eating once you start.

Think healthy.
When you are tempted to eat something fattening, just tell yourself, "I want to be around to see my grandchildren". Remember, obesity is a risk factor for heart attacks, cancer and diabetes.