Who am I? An emotional eater

By Vicky Wandawa

Anxiety, anger, depression and nervousness have a way of rapidly intensifying my appetite for those ‘potentially dangerous’ but tempting foods. That smooth creamy ice cream, those crunchy chocolate biscuits, or that golden coloured deep fried crispy chicken. I am an emotional eater!

Tell me, when you are really angry or anxious or depressed, do you go cover yourself up and muster some sleep to feel better, or cry, or even worse, empty that beer bottle down your throat?

Ask me, I will go feed! Actually, just the thought of nibbling on a deep fried crispy chicken drumstick will put a smile on my face during a nerve wracking day at work. However, that smile will not last until I actually feed my taste buds with that chicken.

After I have eaten to my fill, well, unfortunately, the problem that made me eat the chicken will still be glaring at me! And even sadder, I am guilty that I ate foods responsible for growing my belly so I cannot comfortably wear my swimsuit or any clothing that blatantly exposes the mid rib bulge.

If you find me seated alone in a restaurant and hurriedly gobbling chips, stay away. As I pick them one by one from my plate with my fingers, and there’s that far away look on my face, don’t try to give me company. I am not there to eat and relax, but aggressively going through my brain, working out what to do, so I just might not hear a word you say.

How I wish I ate fruits and vegetables, instead of junk, but believe me, I have tried, they just do not do the trick like ice cream, chicken and chips do.

Christine Kisawuzi, a nutritionist at food science and technology faculty, Makerere University, notes that unfortunately, people with emotional eating problems may not be aware of their problem. However, as long as extreme moods get one eating more than usual, then they qualify to be emotional eaters.

She adds that for emotional eaters, food serves as distraction.
“When they are worried about something, they develop cravings and focus on eating food instead of dealing with the painful situation. They turn to food for comfort in times of distress or even when bored. ”

She says although overcoming emotional eating is possible, it is a process that does not happen overnight. For starters, the sufferer should learn the difference between physical and emotional hunger.

“The difference between these two is that there is eating to fill a physical need and eating emotionally, due to anxiety, depression, anger among other emotions.”

When they find it’s the emotional hunger, they should turn to other activities that they may find appealing, say a hot bath, read a book and find interesting company to assist them avoid eating.

Furthermore, in place of fast and sweet foods, one should try to eat healthy food such as fruits.
“With determination, eating fruits will become a habit over time and you won’t have to eat unhealthy foods to feed your emotions.”