Emotional Eating

• “Food will comfort me.”
• “Food will calm me.”
• “Food is my reward.”
• “Food is the only thing I can count on.”
• “I cannot feel this without eating.”
• “I have already failed, so it does not matter.”

Feeling the emotion directly instead of turning it into food. Food may provide comfort, reward, distraction, companionship, temporary peace, rebellion, or self-punishment.

Ask, "Am I physically hungry, emotionally hungry, or trying to avoid a feeling?" Then name the feeling before choosing food.