8 ways to break free from emotional eating

[David Baxter PhD]

8 steps to de-stress your diet: Don't make food your social outlet or your emotional crutch
Tues., June 16, 2009

The economy doesn?t have to go straight to your hips. Here are some tips on how to control stress-driven eating:

1. Recognize that being stressed is normal, said Edward Abramson, a psychologist in Lafayette, Calif., and author of Emotional Eating. Talk about the stress with family and friends.
2. Know that the economy is out of your hands, said Martin Binks, director of behavioral health and research at the Duke Diet & Fitness Center. Focus on what you can control.
3. Find healthier ways to soothe yourself. Some people go for a walk. Others work on a hobby. Listen to your favorite music or read something not work related, said Linda Hlivka, co-author of Stress Eater Diet.
4. If you are at home because of a layoff, make sure you are not eating in front of the television or computer, said Leslie Seppinni, a psychotherapist in Beverly Hills, Calif. ?Eat at the table at the times you are supposed to eat.?
5. Don?t make food your social outlet, Seppinni said. Meet friends at a park or go see a movie.
6. Substitute healthier food for the bad stuff, Hlivka said. If you need to eat something crunchy, try carrot sticks.
7. If you feel a craving coming on, practice deep breathing, Hlivka said. Once you slow down your breathing, your blood pressure will drop and you will decrease production of stress hormones.
8. Don?t deprive yourself. Sometimes the answer is a little bit of ice cream, Binks said.