Written By: Tania Tarafdar | Updated : November 2, 2017 1:51 PM IST
Even if you have ordered extra at a restaurant or that bag of chips is staring at you begging to be eaten, often it is not the food because of which you overindulge. Your tendency to gulp it all down may have more to do with your mood. You overeat in an attempt to satisfy your psychological needs and not your physical needs. So how can you prevent an emotional eating attack before you even start? Nutritionist Priya Kathpal gives you five simple tips.
Steer clear of coffee: Caffeinated beverages like a cup of coffee can make your stress response even worse. So instead of grabbing a cup of coffee, just go and grab a cup of green tea. Green tea contains the amino acid thiamine which promotes relaxation and prevents you from overindulging.
Enjoy every bite: It is important to savour the taste of food rather than gulping it down. This way, you tend to enjoy every bite, which makes you feel full and prevent you from overeating.
Understand why you feel hungry: Emotional hunger comes on quickly and physical hunger comes on slowly. Just pay attention to how your stomach feels is it empty or rumbling? Wait before you give in to your cravings and see if the hunger subsides.
Eat well: It is important that you eat a well-balanced diet with complex carbohydrates, protein and healthy fats. When you fill yourself up with healthy foods you will be able to determine if it is emotional hunger or just physical hunger. Also, take deep breaths before eating food.
Write down your negative thoughts and trash it: Sometimes trashing down your negative thoughts and throwing them in a garbage can help uplift your mood suggests a study published in the journal Psychological Science. So the next time your negative emotions drive you crazy, just write it down and toss it out. Also, follow these tips to deal with midnight cravings.
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