As many of you know, it isn't always hunger that causes you to reach for your favorite foods. Our moods and emotions can play a big role in how we view food and in how well we are able to stick to a healthy eating plan.

Emotional Eating Triggers

Fatigue caused by a hectic daily schedule or being overwhelmed by responsibilities can set off emotional eating. Depression and loneliness are other causes: Many people eat to fill a void or use food to keep themselves company. Some look to food as a distraction from a traumatic experience, such as the loss of a job, a death, or a breakup. But most who resort to emotional eating find that it can't be traced to one specific cause — it's simply a well-established pattern to fall back on food when they need comforting.

However, it's not impossible to change patterns of behavior. There are other ways to deal with complicated emotions, and it's much healthier to process feelings than to bury them with food. It's important to realize that ultimately we do have power over our actions. Eating is something that can be controlled and enjoyed.

When you’re feeling overwhelmed and stressed out, here are some helpful ways to prevent your emotions from getting in the way of your weight-loss goals:

• Write in a journal. Keeping a food journal not only helps you keep tabs on what you’re eating but also on how you’re feeling at the time. Knowing what your eating triggers are will keep you on track. To break bad habits, you should record not only what and when you eat, but also the circumstances that prompted you to overindulge and make unhealthy choices.
• Keep yourself distracted. Instead of focusing on your cravings, engross yourself in a good book, listen to music, watch a movie, call a friend, or better yet, hit the gym or head outdoors and get some exercise.
• Cook something healthy. If you take the time and make the effort to prepare a wholesome meal, you’ll really enjoy eating it. Plus, cooking is a great way to take your mind off what’s bothering you.
• Reevaluate your emotions. Before you grab that doughnut, take a moment to think, “Is this going to make me feel any better?” Oftentimes, you just need to step back and have that moment of clarity.

For more information on emotional eating, visit the South Beach Diet Guide to Ending Emotional Eating, where you can take a quiz to test whether or not you are an “emotional eater,” get tips on how to cope when you have the urge to binge, and read a lesson about the power of positive thinking. Not a member? Sign up for the South Beach Diet Online today and learn how to change the way you eat by the way you think.

See all South Beach Diet Tips.