My weight fluctuations weren’t just about food choices... they were about my happiness. I didn't connect the dots until I found myself elbow deep in a family size bag of Hot Cheetos after being stressed out from work (not long after promising myself I'd eat healthier).
I’ve been through it all—stressful breakups, money worries, family problems... you name it. Every time, I turned to food like it was my lifeline. But it wasn’t helping, it was hurting. The more I indulged, the worse I felt, and the more weight I gained. I’d beat myself up for not having the willpower to stop, and that only made me want to eat more. It was a vicious cycle that kept me stuck for years.
After many long nights of sitting with God, I was shown the problem. My weight wasn’t just a physical issue; it was tied to my emotional well-being. Once I connected those dots, I decided to make some changes. But I’m not going to lie to you—it wasn’t easy. Breaking free from emotional eating is hard, and anyone who tells you otherwise is full of it. But the good news is that you can use your emotional eating habit to improve your health in the meantime.
How to Improve your Health with Emotional Eating
- Make note of when you have cravings, specifically cravings for bad foods. Maybe it's five days before your next period, or maybe it's after an argument with your mother-in-law when you find yourself wanting a pack of fudge-striped cookies and a bag of sour cream ruffled chips. Whatever it is, keep in mind what happened before the craving. This will eventually help you identify the triggers to later create a plan of action.
- After identifying your triggers, make note of what you reach for. Do you crave salty snacks when you're stressed? Maybe you reach for sweets when you need comforting. Create a list of your cravings along with their triggers.
- Not all cravings are bad. I know some people who occasionally crave pickles. The goal is to recognize the cravings that are causing weight gain and swap them out for something "less" bad. This is a marathon, not a race. I don't recommend immediately swapping a bag of chips for an apple—that's not how it works if you want to make lasting change. I suggest starting by swapping brands for healthier ones. I like to use the Yuka app which helps identify healthier alternatives based on nutritional content and ingredients to find better recommendations, whether it’s less sodium, less sugar, or fewer ingredients. All of this is a step towards better health.
- The triggers may not go away, but how we respond to them can improve. We can gradually improve our cravings until they diminish or we find ourselves choosing healthier options. A win is a win.
Breaking the cycle of emotional eating is a journey, so I recommend using it to better your health until you reach a point where you are out of the cycle. There will be setbacks, and that’s totally normal. When they happen, don’t beat yourself up—instead, take a deep breath, learn from it, and keep moving forward. Focus on progress, not perfection. Every little step you take is a win, no matter how small. So be kind to yourself, celebrate the victories, and trust that with time, you’re making lasting changes that matter. You got this!
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