Put a New Spin on Comfort Food Fixations

By Sandy Schroeder

If you have been known to indulge in chili fries or really big burgers with a side of fries, you may know something about emotional eating. When it's been a really long day, or bad news just arrived, it's all too easy to dive into that giant pizza and chase it down with a brew. The experts call that emotional eating and say that 75 percent of us let our emotions decide when, what and how much we eat 

Emotional Eating Defined 

The medical community defines emotional eating as, "the practice of consuming large quantities of food, usually "comfort" or junk foods, in response to feelings instead of hunger." If you can relate, you may be wondering what can be done. 

The Up and Down Side 

Think about your eating habits and see where you stand with the amount of junk and comfort food that you eat and how it ties in with your feelings about your life. 

When life gets complicated, I find myself treating my emotions with food.  My personal favorites are baskets of fried zucchini, chili relleno plates with beans and rice, enormous slices of pizza or loaded subs piled high with salami and pickles.  

About once a week, I choose one and indulge, but the rest of the time I stick with fresh fish, chicken breasts, lean turkey burgers or meatloaf, spinach pasta, and all sorts of fresh whole veggies and fruits prepared with olive oil.  

I drink lots of water, coffee, black and green tea, hot chocolate, red and white wines, and fruit juices with no added sugar. I also consume low-fat, sugar-free Greek yogurt, walnuts, almonds and cashews, flaxseed, oatmeal and whole wheat bread or tortillas.  

Where Do You Stand Or Slip? 

If you can relate, you may be heading for disaster or eating healthy most of the time. Lately, I have been looking for more ways to respond to emotional eating and these help. 

• Going for a run or a walk when I feel like a snack 
• Starting the morning with coffee and stretching and a high protein breakfast 
• Listening to music or reading really good books instead of munching in front of the TV or a computer screen 
• Clearing out all of the chips, pretzels and other fattening nibbles from the pantry and adding healthy nuts and seeds 
• Making my local farmers market and fresh fish counter first stops for weekly shopping 
• Taking my family along to shop and letting them pick favorite fruits such as cherries, pineapple, pears, raspberries, strawberries, blueberries or grapes 
• Looking for more dinner menus that feature my family's favorite healthy foods such as black beans, shrimp and berries 

If you are seriously trying to eat less comfort or junk food, but not making much headway, you may want to see your doctor for a checkup of weight, health numbers and possible referral to a counselor to help you pinpoint emotional issues.     

Whatever you do, don't give up. Keep the focus on the healthy foods that you enjoy. 

To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Brea, Calif.