EMOTIONAL EATING WHILE STAYING SAFE AT HOME
Co-Authored by Lisa Mikus, RD, LD
Social distancing can be difficult in many ways. You’re unable to socialize in person with your family and friends, you can’t go to your favorite restaurants, music, or sporting events, you aren’t able to go to the gym, and your meal timing and eating patterns may become blurred, and confusing. Relying on emotional eating during this uneasy time is to be expected and absolutely okay. Emotional eating is one coping skill that you may rely on as a convenient and accessible way to comfort yourself. When the time is right, you can also cultivate other coping skills to help you feel your best.
Many of the Wholesome Start community members have been asking for suggestions on what to do to help them manage their eating habits such as overeating due to boredom, stress, or anxiety, so I’m here to provide you with a few key tips to help you feel your best during this stressful time.
Structure Your Meal Times:
When you’re at home, maybe by yourself or with your family, it’s easy for the day to slip away and not notice the last time you ate. Going long periods of time between eating can bring on feelings of extreme hunger that impact your efforts of eating mindfully. Cue you on the couch eating a whole bag of chips and salsa. (If you’re unsure how to tell if you are hungry, check out this blog post I wrote about What Hunger Feels Like.)
I’m not here to tell you not to eat what your body is craving. Remember, all foods fit into a healthy and balanced diet! I am here to provide you with some suggestions to help you nourish your body consistently and adequately throughout the day so you can focus on other important things-- like working from home, playing with your fur babies or children, or enjoying this downtime by finally reading that book you’ve been meaning to get to!
Here is an example of what a structured meal pattern could look like.
One thing you can do is make sure that you are eating at least 3 meals and a few snacks in between meals. Set alarms for yourself to take a break from working or doing household chores to nourish your body and don’t forget to stay hydrated! Practice what you would usually do during the day to remember to drink enough water. Maybe carry a water bottle or tumbler throughout the day and see how often you fill it up. If you missed my last blog check it out for tips on how to grocery shop and what to get while social distancing.
The more consistently and adequately you nourish your body during the day, the less likely you will feel the need to continue seeking out food or mindlessly eat. One thing to keep in mind is that there is no perfect way of eating and your eating patterns and choices may be different from others. You don’t need to be making perfectly balanced meals and snacks for yourself or your family members. Do what you can to stay sane. If that means heating up a frozen pizza or cooking mac n cheese for a meal, great! Your body will process, digest, and absorb the nutrients the same and use what it needs to survive. The protein, carbohydrates, and fat from each meal or snack will break down to support your body no matter what you consume. Your body is wise, trust it!
Unconditional Permission to Eat & Enjoy All Food:
We all know that stress impacts our behaviors and health. It’s absolutely normal to comfort yourself with food in any situation, but especially during a time where you find yourself more anxious or bored due to social isolation. The mere thought of having food readily accessible to you may bring up uncomfortable feelings, however, this is no time to restrict yourself from eating. Allow yourself to care for your body by providing it with its basic need for nourishment.
Once your basic needs have been met (consistent and adequate meals), you may be more comfortable making a decision to enjoy a variety of foods including snack items like chips, cookies, ice cream, etc. Obsessively counting, measuring, or limiting the amount or type of food you are allowed to eat, usually sets you up to crave larger quantities of that very food. If you have access to snack foods at home, try not to ban yourself from eating and enjoying them. The perception that food might become forbidden can trigger overeating.
The key to ending the cycle of food restriction and subsequent overeating or bingeing is to give yourself unconditional permission to eat and enjoy all foods. Fun fact: the more you enjoy a specific food, the better your body will absorb the nutrients and feel satisfied after eating! And feeling satisfied as well as physically full after a meal can help you reduce your chances of overeating. If you’re struggling with allowing yourself unconditional permission to eat and enjoy all foods, let’s connect!
Be Flexible and Practice Self-Compassion!
It’s okay for things not to go as planned, for your meals to be made up of processed food, or for you to engage in emotional eating at times. Eating is one way we all seek comfort. If you have Binge Eating Disorder, know that you are not a failure if you binge or emotionally eat. Take it day by day and do what you can to keep to your meal structure. Consistently incorporating “forbidden foods” can also be a tactic to decrease the risk of binge eating or overeating these foods. Pairing them with lunch or dinner is a way to ensure you are adequately nourished while adding pleasure to your eating experience. If you need additional support, reach out to your registered dietitian and therapist for help.
This is going to be a tough time for many, but being kinder to yourself is one way to get through it. Respecting your body means treating it with dignity and compassion, as well as meeting its basic needs. Let me know how you’re surviving during this time of social distancing and what’s helping you feel your best in the comments below!
I’m here to support you any way I can! I offer a free 15-minute discovery call to help you learn how to find balance with food and nutrition without rigid diets.
Disclaimer: The information and other content provided in this blog, or in any linked materials, are not intended and should not be construed as medical advice, replacement for nutrition counseling, nor is the information a substitute for professional medical expertise or treatment.