1. You're stressed. Whether it's caused by life challenges, illness, or fatigue¹, stress depletes² you emotionally as well as physically³.

 

When you become depleted⁴, food -- especially the salty, sweet, fatty, high calorie kind -- beckons⁵ you with promises of escape, sedation, and comfort. Ah!

 

And these promises aren't exaggerations. Food does offer the relief you seek -- well, at least until you swallow!

 

2. You're bored. Boredom⁶ is an emotion that leaves you feeling fidgety and somewhat out of control. Your go-to comfort food not only promises the distracting pleasure of something to do, but will flood your brain with feel-good chemicals. Your restlessness is swept away by the blissful tranquility of escape.

 

3. You're watching TV (or otherwise distracted). We are creatures of habit as well as creatures of comfort. And what's more comforting -- or mindless -- than zoning out binge-watching your favorite TV series while digging into that bag of chips?

 

Mindless distraction⁷ and snacking become ritualistic habits, just like a tub of popcorn⁸ becomes a must at the movie theater.

 

4. You're depressed⁹ or anxious. Emotional struggle and stress are inseparable, leaving you feeling desperate and out of control. Destructive eating is an anesthetic¹⁰ to your emotional pain and discomfort¹¹.

 

The feel-good chemical dopamine is released in the brain and -- at least while you're eating -- your emotional pain is numbed¹².

 

5. You're in a restaurant or planning to go out to eat. This is where your mind begins to "graze:" "Hmm, what am I in the mood for tonight?"

 

This is "mind-tasting." Once you begin to mind-taste, you're already putting in motion the physiological¹³ changes associated with actually eating those delicious foods. Mind-tasting is a surefire way to open the door to destructive eating.

 

6. You feel your stomach growl¹⁴. You haven't eaten in a few hours, it's almost lunch time, and your stomach growls¹⁵. For many people, this sets off a small panic: "I'm starving! I need to eat something right now."

 

In typical knee-jerk fashion, you're conditioned to jump when your stomach beckons. More often than not, it's your mind, not your body, that needs to be fed.

 

7. You're alone or lonely. Loneliness is a stressful state, which at times is unavoidable. We try to reduce the stress of loneliness by using food to fill the emptiness in our lives.

 

Food, quite literally¹⁶, "fills" us. And when you're feeling empty and alone, being full can be quite comforting.

 

8. You see or smell a nostalgic comfort food. The sight or aroma¹⁷ of a childhood comfort food can release in the brain the same chemicals involved in tasting these foods (mind-tasting again).

 

It's why fast food restaurants have pictures on their menus. You stand there mind-tasting each possibility until you settle on the one choice that seems to offer the most satisfaction.

 

9. You've had an alcoholic¹⁸ beverage¹⁹ -- or three. Alcohol distorts both your physical and psychological perceptions of hunger. You probably already know that alcohol adds calories, weakens self-discipline, and stimulates²⁰ hunger.

 

Having a drink before or during your meal will lower your inhibitions and diminish your willpower. Save the wine for dessert.

 

10. You're tired, you have access to junk food and it's late at night. Fatigue reduces your capacity for tolerating stress. Nighttime is when things begin to wind down, you've had a hard day, and you're hoping to reward yourself for having survived the day's demands.

 

Or perhaps it's your knee-jerk, ritualistic need for a "night cap" before retiring. It's easy to fall prey²¹ to "tomorrow is another day" thinking and go for the brownies and glass of milk.

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