How to Eat for Emotional Health
- 1). Understand why you eat for your emotional health. Sit down and make a list. This list should contain the types of foods you eat in different emotional states. You may enjoy ice cream or candy when you are sad or depressed. You also may find pizza or lasagna comforting when you are in a happy and joyous mood. When you are making this list, you will begin to realize how you started eating for emotion.
- 2). Keep healthier food in your home at all times. Instead of buying a gallon of ice cream, cookies or a bag of candy, think fruits and vegetables. You will be making a healthier choice and not feel guilty about what you are consuming. If you have to have ice cream or candy, keep a small amount in the home. Instead of a gallon of ice cream or a bag of candy, buy one candy bar or a pint of ice cream.
- 3). Buy convenience foods. When someone is depressed or sad, the last thing they wish to do is clean up the kitchen and make dinner. When the desire to munch on foods for your emotional status overwhelms you, you may grab the quickest thing possible. This could be a bag of potato chips or donuts. However, there are several healthy alternatives to this. When you are at the supermarket, buy TV dinners, sandwich makings or low-fat, baked potato chips.
- 4). Take up a hobby. Instead of eating quick foods in front of the TV while lying on the couch, do something you enjoy. You could make a ship in a bottle, collect stamps or cards, or build model airplanes. There are several things you could find to keep your mind off of food.
Source...