Recognizing and Stopping Stress or Emotional Eating During the HCG Diet

Emotional Eating is the reason why so many diets fail. What is emotional eating? Emotional eating is also known as stress eating is eating foods in order to satisfy your emotional needs and to make you feel better rather than satisfying your hunger.

We sometimes turn to foods if we are stressed or cope with an unpleasant emotion when on the HCG Diet like loneliness, sadness or even boredom. We find ourselves reaching for a pint of ice cream when we’re bored or down, order a pizza from our favorite pizza parlor or swing by the drive-thru after a very stressful day at work. After eating, we feel even worse because the reason why we stress eat still remains plus we feel guilty for overeating.

Using food as a reward is not bad at all. But when you turn to foods as your primary emotional coping mechanism is an unhealthy habit. It’s NOT either acceptable when you are on the HCG Diet. Remember that emotional hunger can’t be filled with food. You may feel good while you are eating but after that, the feeling that caused you to stress eat still remains.

You might not have control over foods but there are certainly ways to change your unhealthy habit into a healthier one.  You just need to find healthier ways to deal with your emotions and eat mindfully so you can regain control over your weight and finally put a stop to emotional eating.

Emotional Hunger Versus Physical hunger

Emotional Hunger:

• It’s overwhelming and urgent. It hits you in an instant.
• You crave for sugary snacks and junk foods like cakes, ice cream and pizza. These foods will provide you with an instant rush.
• You feel that your hunger is a craving that you can’t get it out from your mind. You focus on a specific taste. Textures and smells.
• You want more even after you eat. You eat mindlessly. You do not pay attention to what and how much you eat.
• You don’t become full.

Physical Hunger:

• It comes gradually. Your urge to eat doesn’t demand an instant action unless you haven’t eaten the whole day.
• Almost all foods sound good including vegetables
• When you are physically hungry you are aware of what you eat and how much you eat.
• You can actually hear your stomach belly growl.