Are you over eating because you are stressed, frustrated, irritated, unhappy or bored? Has your over eating become a bad habit that you can't seem to shake? There are many different reasons why you might be over eating and they are all usually all triggered by events which are happening in your life.
It might be work related and being under a lot of stress which is causing your over eating or it could be a more personal issue like your self-esteem, self-perception or level of happiness that is the main trigger.
Below is a list of the most common reasons why you might be over eating and some helpful tips to help you overcome this problem so you can start eating a healthy diet that will improve your health and put you back in control of your eating habits.
Top 5 Reasons Why You Are Over Eating 1.
BOREDOM - We all get bored from time to time and this can cause you to start over eating because basically there is nothing else to do.
When we don't have anything exciting planned or a just lazing around the house it is all to easy to just head to the cupboard or fridge and fix ourselves a snack.
Boredom can lead you to fill in the downtime between the three main meals of breakfast, lunch and dinner by eating more food simply because there is nothing else to do.
THE SOLUTION: Try to find an activity to do so you keep yourself occupied and your mind is concentrating on other things instead of your stomach.
If you do feel the urge to snack during the day then try to go with the healthy alternative like a piece of fruit instead of reaching for the bag of Doritos or block of chocolate.
2.
Low Self-Esteem - For some people it might be low self-esteem which is causing the over eating problem.
Having a negative self-perception or lack of confidence can lead you to seek comfort in foods to make yourself feel good.
The problem with eating for comfort when you have a low self-esteem is over eating can affect your weight and although you may feel good at the time of eating your comfort food, the aftermath can lead you to feeling even worse when you become overweight.
It can turn into a vicious cycle and can be very hard to break.
THE SOLUTION: Take the time to evaluate yourself and try to find out what is causing your low self-esteem.
Put some effort into treating the main cause of your problem.
Work on developing a positive self-perception and put together a diet or plan which will help you stop your bad habit of over eating so you can start to feel more confident and appreciate the good qualities you have.
3.
STRESSED OR OVER WORKED - When you are feeling stressed or over worked sometimes your eating habits can suffer.
You may be over eating to release some of the stress or you may just have so much on that you can't keep to a regular eating schedule, so whenever you do get a chance to eat you binge on your favorite foods.
Usually when you are so busy you would prefer to go for the quickest option which we all know as fast food and generally these fast foods are not very healthy.
THE SOLUTION: If you live a busy life and find it hard to stick to a regular eating schedule, try to carry around some nuts or dried fruit which you can snack on instead of popping into the drive-through at your favorite fast food joint for a quick fix.
You also should make the time in your schedule to fit in at least two healthy, nutritious meals a day.
If you don't have the time to prepare these meals yourself then find somewhere you can grab a healthy meal to eat on the run.
Think sandwich bar instead of McDonald's or fruit instead of potato chips.
You will find if you eat the healthier alternative and try and stick to a regular eating schedule, you will have more energy, be more alert and this will lead you to be more productive and efficient with your time.
4.
DISAPPOINTMENT OR BEING UPSET - If you are feeling upset or have been disappointed you can sometimes turn to foods for comfort and to help cheer you up.
The most common types of 'cheer me up' foods are usually of the sweet, sugary kind because they release feel-good chemicals in the brain.
However when you over indulge in these types of food it can lead to issues with your weight which can affect your confidence and your overall health.
THE SOLUTION: Try to find another way of making yourself feel better and releasing your frustration whenever you feel upset or disappointed.
Try out different techniques like exercise which is proven to release those same feel-good chemicals as sugary foods.
You could also try talking to a friend or family member to vent your frustration and maybe they can help you find a solution to make you feel better, or you could even try writing down how you feel so you can express your feelings on paper and try to figure out a solution on your own.
If you can find a way to release your emotions by expressing yourself you will break the habit of relying and depending on foods to make you feel good.
5.
A MEDICAL CONDITION - You may suffer from a medical condition or psychological problem that is causing you to over eat.
It could be you have tapeworms or you suffer from depression which are both known to cause excessive eating.
There could be an undiagnosed problem that you don't even know about because you never knew that you had it or you never knew it existed.
THE SOLUTION: If you can't seem to pinpoint what is causing you to over eat then you should go and seek professional medical advice to help you determine the cause.
If you think you are suffering from an un-diagnosed problem then don't hesitate to make an appointment with your doctor so they can help you find a solution.
There maybe reasons that are causing your over eating that you have never heard of or didn't know you had so seek an evaluation from a professional to help determine what the problem is.
Everybody's situation is different and there can be many factors that can contribute to a person's problem of over eating.
However the main causes of over eating are more psychological than anything else.
If you have a problem with over eating try to assess your situation and find out what the best solutions are going to be for you.
The key is to find the trigger which is causing your problem and then finding a solution which is going to suit your lifestyle so you are able to stay committed and do whatever is necessary to combat your problem.