Do you eat based on how you feel physically or emotionally? How often do you run to the kitchen for a chocolate cupcake with a mountain of buttercream frosting because we are hungry? Hunger rarely asks for such sweet treats as that does nothing positive for the body. The need to eat craves foods your body needs. If you are sitting there thinking that you do get hungry and want a cupcake that is only because of how you conditioned yourself to eat. Most are wired to eat based on their preferences and their emotions. Food is often used as to fill a void or to reward yourself or a way to engage in social events. Food is fuel not healing or an expression of happiness. The more you turn to food to heal or to pass the time the chance you have of becoming overweight.
Happy eating : Normally when we think of emotional eating we think of someone who is sad and eating to fill an emotional void. However, happiness and excitement can cause us to overeat as well. Holidays cause us to overeat because we are in a state of excitement and we see yummy food so we indulge. Social situations increase our amount of happy eating or absent mind eating as we are too busy talking to notice we just finished off a bag of chips. Avoid this by drinking more water and expressing your happiness through something other than food.
Bored eating: I am guilty of eating when I am bored. I often head into the kitchen and have to remind myself I just indulged or I just ate. I get bored or I am begin to engage in a tedious or monotonous task so I immediately want to grab something to eat. Avoid this by filling up on water and do more two handed activities so eating is not a choice. Yes, I know that sounded crazy but I eat less folding laundry or typing online then sitting and watching a movie.