The Power of Self-Compassion in Overcoming Emotional Eating Triggers
Emotional eating is a common issue as whether we’re feeling stressed, anxious, sad, or bored, emotional triggers cause many of us to turn to food for comfort. While there are various techniques and strategies that can be used to overcome emotional eating habits, one of the most powerful yet underrated (and under-practiced) tools is self-compassion.
What is Self-Compassion?
Self-compassion is the act of being kind and understanding towards yourself, especially when you are facing difficult emotions or situations. It involves treating yourself with the same kindness, concern, and support that you would offer to a good friend. This means acknowledging your struggles without judgment, looking upon your problems with a more objective point of view, and responding to yourself with subjective kindness and care.
Self-compassion can be especially helpful for those struggling with emotional eating because it allows you to approach yourself and your emotions with a greater sense of acceptance and overall understanding. Instead of being critical or hard on yourself for your emotional eating habits, you can learn to approach the situation in a gentler manner, which helps to break the cycle of emotional eating.
The Link Between Self-Compassion and Emotional Eating
Many people who struggle with emotional eating also struggle with negative self-talk and self-criticism. When faced with an emotional trigger, it's easy to fall into a pattern of negative self-talk, such as "I'm weak," "I have no self-control / willpower," or "I'm a failure." These thoughts can lead to feelings of shame, guilt, and low self-esteem, which can then trigger even more emotional eating.
But the truth is we can’t hate ourselves into creating a healthy, balanced relationship with food and our body. Instead of judging or criticising yourself for your emotional eating habits, acknowledge that emotional eating is a natural response to difficult emotions, and that it's okay to struggle with it from time to time. The consistent and repetitive act of turning to food to cope and soothe uncomfortable emotions, is a key indicator that something deeper is at hand and needs to be addressed.
In fact, research has shown that self-compassion can help to reduce emotional eating habits. In a study published in the journal ‘Appetite’, researchers found that the lack of self-compassion was a significant predictor of emotional eating, with those who scored higher on measures of self-compassion reporting lower levels of emotional eating.
Breines, J. G., & Chen, S. (2012). Self-compassion increases self-control and reduces susceptibility to ego threat. Journal of personality and social psychology, 104(2), 249–263. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0028618
Tips for Practicing Self-Compassion
If you're struggling with emotional eating habits, here are some tips for incorporating more self-compassion into your life:
Be kind to yourself. Instead of being critical or judgmental towards yourself for your emotional eating habits, try to approach yourself with kindness and understanding. Acknowledge that emotional eating is a natural response to difficult emotions, and that it's okay to struggle with it from time to time.
Practice mindfulness. Mindfulness involves being present and non-judgmental in the moment. By practicing mindfulness, you can learn to approach your emotions and thoughts with greater awareness and understanding, which can help to reduce the urge to engage in emotional eating.
Challenge negative self-talk. When you notice negative self-talk or self-criticism, try to challenge these thoughts with a more compassionate perspective. For example, instead of telling yourself "I'm a failure," try saying "I'm struggling right now, but I'm doing the best I can."
Take care of yourself. Practicing self-compassion also involves taking care of yourself. This means getting enough sleep, exercise, healthful food and foods that satisfy your tastebuds, as well as engaging in activities that bring you joy and relaxation.
Seek support. Finally, if you're struggling with emotional eating habits, don't hesitate to seek support from a therapist or counselor. They can help you to develop strategies for overcoming emotional eating habits
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