If you find yourself rummaging the fridge all the time, you may be an emotional eater. This means you’re eating based on your mood, and not hunger. By feeding your feelings instead of your stomach, you’re on the highway to weight gain.
Most of us are familiar with the post-breakup ice cream binge, but what about the regular days where we mindlessly munch on cookies just because we’re bored, sad, or angry?
Food isn’t the answer
At the end of the day, food isn’t the optimal coping mechanism. If you eat out of boredom, chances are you’ll still be bored after ingesting that doughnut. And contrary to what anyone says, chocolate won’t miraculous melt away your sadness.
Instead, all the extra food you’ve been eating to fill your emotional void, will eventually make their way to your belly, hips, and other sore spots, and you’ll end up feeling worse than before.
So, how do you know if you’re REALLY hungry or just emotionally hungry? Here’s a handy flow chart to help you out:
20 Alternatives to Rummaging the Fridge:
1. Go for a walk
2. Read a chapter of a book
3. Call your friend and have a chat
4. Pick up knitting (it keeps your hands away from food)
5. Wash your car (when was the last time you did that?)
6. Google “emotional eating”
7. Brush your teeth
8. Check if you have any expiring Groupons
9. Paint your nails
10. Try to score 50 in Flappy Bird
11. Make a pot of tea and drink it
12. Organise your desk
13. Distract yourself with YouTube
14. Do 50 jumping jacks
15. Water your plants
16. Get a round on your gaming console
17. Write your best friend a postcard
18. Sort through your photos from last year’s vacations
19. Clean your keyboard
20. Read HealthWorks.my
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What do you like to do instead of munching on an un-needed snack? Let us know in the comments below or on our Facebook page!