Episode #22: Are you emotionally eating too?

Are you emotionally eating too? Yeah, I get it. I’m eating All The Skittles right now. So what is emotional eating? Why do we do it? What does our emotional eating point us toward? How do we stop?

In this episode, the Grace In Real Life podcast welcomes integrative wellness speaker, author, and educator Rebekah Fedrowitz, MDN, BCHN. Rebekah helps women identify, combat, and recover from adrenal overload, the stress-driven health syndrome that can lead to digestive, hormonal, and mental health challenges. Her desire is to see women living in the abundant life and purpose God created for them.

Emotional eating defined

“All eating is emotional. All eating should be emotional.” – Rebekah Fedrowitz

However, we don’t want to be driven by emotions but want to be able to see our emotional connection to food.

Emotional eating is when there is something emotional going on in our environment driving us to eat in unhealthy ways. Emotional eating isn’t just unhealthy foods, but eating in an unbalanced way for your body or when there is something about food driving us to want more of it to soothe us when we feel overwhelmed.

What’s going on psychologically that drives us to unhealthy eating

Stress isn’t the same for everyone, but all stress produces a biochemical response by causing changes in blood-sugar regulation. Your body knows to crave food to help you regulate your blood sugar.

How to tell if we’re eating as a stress response or if there’s a longterm issue

Through education.
You can train your body to crave the right foods.
Stop. Pause. Just notice what you’re doing.
Don’t try to change or control your food intake in this moment. And don’t beat yourself up for emotional eating.
Sit. Savor. Ask yourself what this food has that you could get from a different, more healthy source.
Vitamins and minerals work synergistically so eat the rainbow.

“Maybe the chocolate isn’t what you need, but making yourself feel bad about it won’t make you crave it less.” – Rebekah Fedrowitz

Why we use food to soothe stress

Culturally: How is food viewed where you live?
Socially: What did food mean to your family growing up?
Psychologically: Do you use food as a reward or punishment?
Biochemically: Your brain is telling your body what it needs so your neurotransmitters can be activated.
Environmentally: How is your space set up? Is it easier to find chips or fresh food?

How we turn into emotional eaters

There’s a fine line between being hyper-controlled and hosting a free-for-all. We go through seasons to figure out life. New seasons bring out new habits, not all of which are good.

“This is not about willpower.” – Rebekah Fedrowitz

When you go to extremes, you’re relying on willpower and not getting at the root of what’s going on.

“If we’re going to extreme solutions, we’re going to find extreme swings.” – Rebekah Fedrowitz

How to turn away from emotional eating

Don’t beat yourself up.
Observe yourself.
Notice your triggers.
Find out what else can give you the pause you crave.
Employ stress-management tactics.
Eat balanced meals.

“We are creative powerful women. God has given us really great brains.” – Rebekah Fedrowitz

“Challenge the status quo. Wherever you are is not where you are stuck. Give yourself grace in this moment.” – Rebekah Fedrowitz

Key Quotes

“All eating is emotional. All eating should be emotional.” – Rebekah Fedrowitz
“Maybe the chocolate isn’t what you need, but making yourself feel bad about it won’t make you crave it less.” – Rebekah Fedrowitz
“This is not about willpower.” – Rebekah Fedrowitz
“We are creative powerful women. God has given us really great brains.” – Rebekah Fedrowitz
“Challenge the status quo. Wherever you are is not where you are stuck. Give yourself grace in this moment.” – Rebekah Fedrowitz