Science Prevents Emotional Eating

During the epidemic, the time spent working from home and studying at home has increased, and work and studies have not been relaxed.

Multiple Ways to Ease Emotional Eating

Emotional eating occurs because the hormone cortisol rises when feeling abnormal emotions, which makes people feel hungry suddenly, and the brain sends a "false warning" that you need a lot of energy to replenish your energy

An association analysis of emotional eating with depression and emotion regulation suggests that, in obese individuals with emotional eating, treatment should not focus on dietary calorie restriction, but on emotion regulation skills

Turn grief and anger into non-appetite, and look for positive solutions.

diet diary

Emotional eating can be eased with a food journal

Don't over-diet

Related research suggests that emotional eating may be the reason many dieters regain their weight

You may gain weight initially, but no longer feel guilty about eating, which helps people regain their resistance to food

Laughter relieves stress

During the epidemic, people will face a lot of pressure every day, with anxiety, tension, fear, and irritability

As the saying goes: "Smile ten years less"

Laughter yoga, for example, is a popular way to encourage participants to simulate laughter and engage in yogic breathing exercises that can alleviate the negative effects of stress

Build close and meaningful relationships

　　Maybe not hungry, just feeling lonely

　　Loneliness acts as a repulsive signal that motivates people to be more sensitive to potential social threats and facilitates the re-establishment of meaningful social connections

　　Add scheduling design schedule

　　It’s easy to feel bored at home during a pandemic, but boredom isn’t really nothing to do, including a lack of interest in certain events or situations, or a lack of connection and engagement

　　Related research has shown that both ease of boredom and difficulty in emotional regulation predict inappropriate eating behaviors, and women are more likely than men to eat when they are bored

Multiple Ways to Prevent Emotional Eating

　　Stock up on snacks

　　"A cup of milk tea every day to lose weight" is not advisable and may have serious side effects

　　exercise more

　　Physical activity improves cognitive processes and memory

　　Guaranteed sleep quality

　　Relevant studies have shown that sleep deprivation interferes with emotion regulation through several neurobiological, behavioral, and cognitive processes, such as generating more negative emotions and less positive emotions, which may affect the ability to choose appropriate emotion regulation strategies and implementation
.
Sleep quality is inversely related to emotional eating, and decreased sleep quality can lead to poor eating habits, which can adversely affect physical and mental health
.

　　(Shi Xiaojin and Zhao Ai)

　　"China Food News" (06 edition on June 9, 2022)

　　(Editor in charge: Zhu Meiqiao)