Stopping Emotional Eating Los Angeles CA

When the going gets rough, many of us head to the fridge. True, eating a slice of double-fudge cake can temporarily distract you from your feelings, and some foods actually boost brain chemicals that make you feel better. But it's not a good crutch to rely on. "When we eat because we feel bad, we're prone to eating too much--and we're generally not talking about carrot sticks," says Elizabeth Ward, RD, author of The Pocket Idiot's Guide to the New Food Pyramids. Don't sabotage your health and your hips! Overcome emotional eating with these four steps.

Step 1: Forget Food Bans"Many diets have 'bad' foods that you're supposed to swear off, which is unrealistic," says Judith Beck, PhD, clinical associate professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania and author of The Complete Beck Diet for Life. "A better approach is to plan in advance to eat your favorite foods in moderation. Otherwise, you invariably cheat and go overboard."

Step 2: Figure Out What True Hunger Feels LikeIt's not easy. Many of us mistake thirst for hunger, but ruling out thirst isn't that hard: Just drink a tall glass of water and see if the urge to eat disappears. The other issue might be a craving for a specific food. To distinguish between a craving and genuine hunger, ask yourself: Would I be interested in eating a healthy snack, like an apple, a salad or a slice of whole-wheat bread? If you can't get that chocolate bar out of your mind, you're probably dealing with a cravi...

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