Our emotions can cause us to over eat; in fact, our feelings are thought to cause over 75% of overeating, those who eat because of their feelings will consume large quantities of food not because they are hungry but as a form of comfort.

Identifying triggers which cause emotional over eating

It is thought that situations and emotions which cause over eating can be put into 5 different categories, these are:

Social over eating

Over eating when around other people can be a cause, there are several factors which can have an affect on this, being encouraged by others to eat, having arguments with others or feeling inadequate when around others are just some of them.

Emotional over eating

This can be in response to boredom, stress, fatigue, tension, depression, anger, anxiety or loneliness. Over eating in this way is often done as a way to fill in the void felt.

Situational over eating

This form is simply over eating because the opportunity to do so is there, examples of this are because you are in a restaurant with others, passing a bakery store or seeing an advertisement for a particular food. This type is also associated with activities such as watching the TV, attending sporting events or when at the movies.

Negative thoughts

This type of over eating is categorised by feelings of low self-esteem or self-worth, an example of this type is telling yourself off for not being able to resist over eating and therefore putting yourself into a continuous circle.

Physiological

This is categorised in response to physical clues such as skipping meals throughout the day and there having increased hunger pangs or eating to help cure a headache or some similar pain.

Breaking the habit

Once you have identified the habits which cause or contribute to your over eating then you have to break the habit, this can be achieved by a variety of means with some simple ways being:

* Listen to your favourite music instead of eating

* Going for a short walk

* Take a long hot bubble bath or shower

* Perform some deep breathing exercises

* Meditate

* Call a friend and talk for awhile

* Do some housework or gardening

* Take up a new hobby.