Remember that time when you went to the cupboard because you were really stressed? It was like you disappeared eating those delicious treats. You were numb from the neck down, in fact did you even taste that food?

We don’t always eat just to satisfy physical hunger. Many of us also turn to food for comfort, stress relief or to reward ourselves.

This is a disassociated state, an old trauma pattern, a survival technique you learned when you were little. But you’re not little anymore.

The best way to combat stress or emotional eating is to be mindful of what triggers stress eating and to be ready to fight the urge. Regular exercise and making sure you get enough sleep every night also can help you to better handle the challenges that come up every day.

Eating intuitively empowers you to learn what your body feels like when you are truly hungry versus hunger that is empowered by stress or the need for emotional comfort. When you understand and pay attention to why your body is craving, you will have a better understanding of how to manage your eating habits.

What if in that moment you could feel your body instead? You could squeeze your arm, put your hand on your chest and name out loud the feeling you’re trying to feed. You could reparent yourself in that moment, be the person you needed when you were young, instead of numbing out with the food, you could validate your feelings. Put the food back and simply feel.

Written by Alexandra.
Edited by Deepa