It’s 9 p.m., and the house is finally quiet. The kids are tucked into bed, the dishes are done, and you collapse onto the couch. But as you try to unwind, an all-too-familiar craving creeps in. Before you know it, you’re standing in front of the fridge, searching for something—anything—to help calm your nerves and destress from the crazy day you had.
Let’s face it—emotional eating can be a real struggle. Whether it’s stress, boredom, or frustration, turning to food for comfort is all too common. Did you know that studies show nearly 60% of women turn to food for comfort during times of stress? You are not the only one, by no stretch of the imagination.
First of all, know it’s not your fault. Food is an easy thing to turn to when you’re stressed. It gives that instant gratification that you’re after (like most everyone these days). It makes you feel better in the moment, then the moment passes, and the cycle continues.
If you’re nodding your head thinking…yep, that’s totally me..trying to survive on motivation and willpower – then you’ve landed in the right place.
In this post, I’m going to cover:
- Why and how managing emotional eating can be easier and simpler than you thought. And it doesn’t rely on willpower.
- Three effective “tackling emotional eating” strategies (and specific tips for each) that you can implement right away
- What to do if you feel like you’ve “tried it all” – and you still can’t seem to get away from stress eating
- Next steps for YOU – if you’re ready to tackle emotional eating for good and manage it in a way that feels good to you
Ready? Let’s dive in.
Navigating the cycle of emotional and stress eating can feel like you’re stuck in a never-ending loop of frustration and guilt.
When you’re trying to tackle emotional eating, it can feel like you’re climbing an insurmountable mountain. Emotional eating can be related to stress, boredom, sadness, happiness…basically you name the emotion, and food can be tied to it.
One BIG problem is our neverending exposure to the ‘latest and greatest’ diet that supposedly solves all of your problems. NOT. Diet culture doesn’t make it any better. Diets don’t teach you how to tackle food on a daily basis – they just take food away from you. (And nobody wants that!).
Every day throws new challenges your way—whether it’s work stress, family responsibilities, or just feeling overwhelmed by life. And in those moments, food becomes your go-to comfort, your escape from all the chaos and emotions swirling around you.
You’re trying to navigate the usual chaos of family life – managing the kiddos, a spouse, and also deal with your own sh*t at the same time – the inner battles when it comes to food and emotions.
And let’s be real, finding time for yourself—let alone finding healthy ways to cope with stress—can feel like a far off dream. You’re so busy taking care of everyone else’s needs that your own well-being gets pushed to the back burner. So when stress hits, food becomes your quick fix, your escape from the chaos of life.
Imagine a world where you feel less controlled by your emotions when it comes to food. Picture yourself making empowered choices, feeling confident and in control, even when life gets crazy.
Solving the problem of emotional eating and stress eating isn’t just about changing what’s on your plate—it’s about transforming your relationship with food and yourself.
So…what CAN you do?
Let’s talk about 3 specific strategies that YOU can start implementing right away – as you begin to make progress toward effortless food decisions and gain control over emotional eating.
Incorporating some of these ideas can make a big impact on your relationship with food for the long haul – and they only take a few minutes (because I know you’re already thinking about your to-do list for the day and wondering how you’ll fit these strategies in).
Strategy 1: EFT Tapping (put a video in the blog post of me actually doing the tapping)
I recommend Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), also known as tapping to many of my clients – especially those that don’t have a lot of time to add one more thing to their day.
In my framework, EFT tapping is a simple 5 minute or less tool that can actually give you time back later on. If you’ve never heard of EFT before – here’s the basics. EFT involves tapping with 2 or 3 fingers on key acupressure points while repeating affirmations or statements related to whatever is going on at the time.
EFT can be a powerful tool that you can use anytime to get a better handle on emotional eating. AND it can lower stress levels within a few minutes (who wouldn’t want that?).
Here are the main acupressure points used in EFT tapping:
- Karate Chop Point: Located on the outer edge of the hand, between the top of the wrist and the base of the little finger. You’ll use this as the starting point for EFT tapping
- Top of the Head: This spot is often tapped with the fingertips of both hands simultaneously while repeating affirmations.
- Eyebrow: Located at the beginning of the eyebrow, near the bridge of the nose. It’s tapped with the fingertips of one hand while repeating affirmations.
- Side of the Eye: This point is located on the bone at the outer corner of the eye.
- Under the Eye:: You’ll find this area on the bone directly below the eye – on the orbital bone.
- Under the Nose: Located in the center of the area between the nose and the upper lip.
- Chin: You’ll tap on the area between the lower lip and the chin.
- Collarbone: Just below the collarbone, where it meets the breastbone. It’s tapped with the fingertips of both hands while repeating affirmations.
- Under the Arm: About four inches below the armpit, along the bra line for women and at the bottom edge of the ribcage for men.
You might be thinking – ok well that’s great and all, but how can I actually start putting this into practice?
There are many different ways you can implement EFT tapping into your daily life – and I recommend starting with one routine, that you can rinse and repeat when you need to. You don’t need to be supermom and do #allthethings. No need to be an overachiever here.
Here are some ideas to get you going:
- Quick Tapping Routine: You can create a short tapping routine that you can use whenever you feel overwhelmed or going down the slippery emotional eating slope. Pick an affirmation that feels good to you – like “I am in control of my thoughts and actions, and I choose to nourish my body with foods that support my well-being”. State the affirmation out loud as you tap on each point. Start with 3-4 minutes – repeating your affirmation.
You can keep a cheat sheet of tapping points and affirmations handy for easy reference. I find it easiest to write it out in my notes app on my phone since it’s always with me.
You can find an example of my simple 3 minute tapping practice here. (insert a video of me doing the quick tapping routine – make it a landing page)
- Morning Tapping Practice: Start the day with a brief tapping session to set a positive tone and release any stress or anxiety you might be carrying from the previous day. This will help you to start the day feeling grounded and centered.
- Evening Wind-Down Routine: This is a great way to release any tension or stress that has built up throughout the day. You can tap before bed to address any emotions or cravings that may come up when you’re sitting down to relax for the night. An example of an affirmation for this routine might be “I release all tension and anxiety from my body and mind, allowing myself to feel calm and at peace.”
- Family Tapping Session: Involve the kids in a family tapping session as a way to bond and talk about any shared stressors or emotions. You can also tap together while naming things you’re grateful for.
- On-the-Go Tapping: You can absolutely use tapping as a tool for managing stress and emotions while on the go. Many of my clients memorize a short tapping sequence that you can use discreetly in stressful situations, while running errands or while waiting in line. This can help you address emotional triggers at a moments’ notice. You can even just use the karate chop acupressure point over and over while repeating your affirmation.
Strategy 2: Meditation
Truth be told, I was totally not into meditation a few years ago. My brain is always moving at full speed, so how the heck could I possibly slow down to meditate?!
Well for starters, I was trying to sit in silence to start my meditation practice -and soon realized I needed someone to guide me. Someone I could listen to and follow along with – which also helps me focus SO much better.
I also know that like anything else, practice makes perfect-ish. So I decided to try meditating in the morning for 5 minutes each day. And it eventually got to the point where I missed it if I didn’t do it. I noticed a difference in my demeanor and how I thought about my daily stress. It WAS working, I just didn’t give it enough time to work before.
The best part – there are actually guided meditations out there specifically for emotional eating, body confidence, and stress eating. And they’re on free apps, such as Insight Timer (my personal fave). I started recommending meditation to all of my clients – and it’s been a game changer.
A friend of mine told me the EASIEST way to meditate when you have no time – Relax Your Forehead. Seriously, that’s it. Focus on relaxing your forehead when emotions start to rise. So simple and SO effective.
Here are 5 ways you can incorporate meditation into your routine, even with a small amount of time:
- Mini Meditation Breaks: You can take short meditation breaks throughout the day for a few minutes at a time. This could be during your morning commute, while the kiddos are napping or in the school pickup line. These brief moments of mindfulness can help you reset and refocus, which can help with impulsive emotional eating.
- Mindful Eating Practice: Before eating take a few deep breaths to center yourself and be in the present moment. Slow down when you’re eating – paying attention to the taste, texture, and sensations of the food. This can help with recognizing hunger and fullness cues – which in turn reduces emotional eating.
- Guided Meditation Apps: A go to favorite for my clients. These apps have meditations ranging from just a few minutes to 10-15 minutes. Insight Timer, Calm, and Headspace are a few I’ve used and recommend. You can create a list of favorites – so pop in your earbuds at any time to listen easily.
- Morning Meditation Routine: Start your day with a short meditation session to create a sense of calm that can carry forward through stressful moments later in the day. If you can, find a comfortable and quiet spot where you won’t be interrupted, or even lay in bed for a few minutes to meditate (just try not to fall back asleep…I may have done that a few times).
- Evening Relaxation Ritual: Try a brief meditation or relaxation practice to release tension from the day. Try a body scan meditation or progressive muscle relaxation to relax both mentally and physically before bedtime. You can search for both types of meditation in any app you choose to try.
By incorporating these simple meditation practices into your daily routine, even if all you have is a minute to relax your forehead, you can effectively manage stress and emotional eating.
Strategy 3: Keep Food Awareness Journal (NOT for counting calories)
First off, let’s get things straight. I’m not talking about a food journal in the traditional sense. NOT for counting calories, portions, grams of fat, etc. None of that.
The purpose of keeping this journal is not to obsess over calories or portion sizes, but rather to cultivate awareness of eating behaviors and patterns. It’s important to pay attention not just to what you eat but also why you eat and how you feel before, during, and after meals. It is a tool to support you in navigating emotional and stress eating, not a tool to make you feel bad about your food choices. That’s never the goal for any of my clients.
This tool can help you build a healthier relationship with food, a solid foundation that can serve you for the rest of your life.
I had a client, we’ll call her Kay – tell me that she didn’t realize that every time she left her mother’s house, she’d find herself in the fast food drive-thru. This had been happening for years, and she never put two and two together. She started keeping this awareness journal and came to realize that she was so stressed after talking with her mother, that her first instinct was to stop for her cheeseburger and fries. It had become a HABIT.
Once she realized that, it became easier for her to catch herself. She’s not perfect, but it’s SO much better. My clients are always focused on wonky perfection as I call it. Each time she catches herself and makes a different choice, it is a win.
Here are 5 ways to start keeping journal for yourself:
- Track Triggers and Emotions: Jot down any emotional triggers or stressors that may lead to eating, as well as the emotions you experience not just before eating but also after. This helps you identify patterns and see if there is a connection between certain emotions and eating habits.
- Notice Physical Hunger vs. Emotional Hunger: This helps to tune into your body’s hunger cues. Asking yourself, “Am I really hungry, or am I just feeling stressed?” can help you make more mindful choices about when and why you’re eating at the time.
- Practice Non-Judgment: Approach your food journaling practice with a sense of curiosity and non-judgment. It’s a way to look at your eating behaviors without self-criticism or guilt. Remember, the goal is progress and self-awareness. You can’t ever stop emotional eating altogether, but you can learn the tools to manage it better.
- Celebrate Successes: Celebrate the victories, no matter how small. You’re becoming more aware of your eating habits and emotions. There’s always going to be times when you stumble (you’re human after all) – look at challenges or setbacks as opportunities for learning and growth rather than reasons for criticize yourself.
- Use Prompts for Reflection: In your journal – do some freewriting. You might want to ask yourself – “What emotions am I experiencing right now?” or “What other coping strategies could I use besides eating?” These prompts can encourage deeper self-reflection and insight. Just start writing and trust what comes out on the page.
By approaching food journaling as a tool for awareness and self-discovery rather than a means of strict control or judgment, you can gain insights into your eating habits and emotions that you never knew were there before. Rather than a way to judge yourself, look at it as empowering and brave.
What if you’ve tried strategies like this before…and you haven’t seen the benefit yet.
I get it. I do. I’ve had countless clients who have tried to tackle emotional eating before working with me – and they weren’t able to stick with the changes they made before.
First of all, you’re not alone. Forming new habits isn’t easy – if it was, then we’d all be coasting through life with a margarita in hand. THE most important thing is having patience with yourself- which I always say is the hardest part but the most important part.
Expect that you’re going to stumble instead of beating yourself up because you tripped a little bit. Learn from anything you’ve tried in the past, take the good and leave the rest behind. View them as opportunities for learning and growth and not as ‘failures’. Start small, focusing on one manageable change at a time.
Don’t be afraid to reach out to your family, friends, or even a coach for support and encouragement. Whether it’s checking in regularly, providing moral support, or joining you in healthy habits, having a support system can make all the difference in staying motivated and committed to the new habits you’re forming. As a nutrition coach, being a source of support for my clients is the most important thing. We all need someone to bring us back to center when we’re feeling wonky.
Start with a simple 5 minute morning meditation or practice EFT tapping when you’re waiting to pick up the kiddos. You don’t have to be doing all of the things to get big results over time.
I know you’re frustrated and struggling…
You feel like you should be able to stop stress eating. You think that emotional eating means that you’re not able to control yourself. But that’s absolutely not true.
The majority of humans emotionally eat in some way, shape, or form. And it’s unrealistic to think that we can put an end to it altogether. Focusing on managing it rather than getting rid of it takes some of the pressure off.
With simple, practical strategies that you can do anytime, anywhere, you’ll have the tools to tackle emotional eating like a pro. But remember, even pros falter every now and then. Welcome to the world of being a human with real feelings and imperfect-ness.
Remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day, so don’t expect perfection overnight. Celebrate every small victory along the way and recognize that setbacks are a natural part of the journey. By staying committed to yourself and leaning on support networks—whether it’s family, friends, or a coach—you can have a healthier relationship with food and yourself. Keep pushing forward, stay resilient, and trust in your ability to create positive change. You’re so much stronger than you think.
And if you’re really ready to tackle emotional eating and have the support you’ve been craving in the process, I have a perfect next step for you.