Eating Disorders

It might come as a surprise, but emotional eating isn’t only tied to stress or sadness. There are times when life is great, and you’re celebrating something special, spending time with friends or family, or simply enjoying the moment, and often, food plays a big part. Food has a way of connecting us to our feelings, whether we’re feeling down or on top of the world. When we’re happy, we also unconsciously turn to food to make the good feelings last longer or to enjoy the moment even more. Many times, we’re left wondering why we ate so much, especially if it happens often enough to notice. So, why do we reach for food in an unhealthy way even when things are going well? Let’s look at the connection between happiness and emotional eating, how it sneaks up on us, and what we can do to keep things in balance while still enjoying life’s happy moments. Why Emotional Eating Isn’t Good, Even When We’re Happy Emotional eating tied to happiness might not seem harmful, but it’s still possible for it to cause serious problems if we’re not careful. Eating because we’re feeling good does lead to overeating sometimes, especially when we focus on keeping the joy going instead of listening to our hunger. Also, the foods we enjoy more in these emotional moments, like sugary treats or fatty snacks, if eaten excessively, contribute to weight gain or other health concerns. Relying on food in an unhealthy way when we’re happy has a way of distracting us from enjoying other ways of celebrating. Of course, eating in happy moments isn’t necessarily bad, but it’s important to find balance so that it doesn’t become a habit that replaces other rewarding experiences. Positive emotions disrupt our eating habits without us even realizing it [...]