Food, especially of the junk variety, can be a natural pick-me-up when you're feeling down, but it can easily add extra pounds, making you feel even worse about yourself. Even worse, the best laid healthy plans can go right out the window in the face of stress or boredom.
Some scenarios you might face:
- You spend an entire day working on a presentation about synergistic restructuring of customer-based initiatives. Hours into the project, you're so bored you've used all your change to buy candy bars from the vending machine. When you run out, you consider panhandling for more.
- You're home alone watching bad reality TV and feeling lonely. You're almost desperate enough to call your mom to talk, but realize you'll get less guilt if you inhale a bag of Doritos and a bottle of wine.
- After a long day, you're exhausted but determined to make a healthy meal. The pizza delivery boy drives by and, before you can stop yourself, you're running into the street, waving a $20 bill and screaming for him to come back.
Stop the Sabotage
- Keep a food diary. Habitually writing down what you're eating makes it easier to notice what triggers emotional eating and help you avoid it.
- Have a backup plan. Make a list of things you can do when you're bored or lonely -- take a walk, call a friend, brush your teeth, clean out the junk drawer, etc. When you want to eat to make yourself feel better, do just one thing on your list and you may bypass the urge.
- Explore new options. Come up with things you can do on a regular basis to reduce stress or beat boredom. Make food your last resort instead of your first.
