Why Do I Eat When I'm Not Really Hungry?

When you reach for food to fill an emotional need rather than a physical one, it is called emotional eating. It is a self-soothing technique that numbs feelings of sadness, anxiety, loneliness, anger, or boredom. 

Sweet or salty tastes can distract from difficult emotions and affect the chemicals in your body. For example, sugar causes your brain to produce a surge of dopamine. It is known as the feel-good hormone in the body and brings a temporary feeling of relief or delight. 

Emotional eating doesn’t effectively deal with the underlying emotions. It can lead to feelings of regret, and indulging in it often may create unintended health consequences.

Let's look at how to recognize emotional eating and better ways to soothe yourself

Notice Emotional Eating

Cultivate self-awareness by listening to your body. Before you eat, ask yourself how you feel (sad, lonely, angry, bored). If you are experiencing a difficult emotion, notice if you are trying to meet an emotional or physical need.

Mayo Clinic explains that generally…

• Physical hunger comes on gradually after a period of not eating. Emotional hunger can come on suddenly, even if you have eaten recently. 
• Physical hunger is felt in the stomach. Emotional hunger is felt in the mind.
• Physical hunger often builds gradually. Emotional hunger demands an immediate response.
• Physical hunger can be satisfied with a variety of options. Emotional hunger feels like it can only be satisfied with a specific type of food.
• Eating for physical reasons ends up leaving you satisfied. Emotional eating may make you feel ashamed. 

A Conscious Decision 

Knowing your motivation is the first step in choosing your response intentionally. You may decide to eat even if you realize you are not physically hungry. That is okay; just be aware of what you are experiencing and celebrate that you are doing it consciously. 

Emotional eating may be a tool you learned to keep you safe from emotions that feel too uncomfortable. There are ways to deal with difficult emotions that don't involve emotional eating, but it can take time. Be kind to yourself in the process.

Here are some strategies to do instead of emotional eating…

• Distract yourself - watch a show, read a book, or engage in a hobby.
• Remove yourself from the situation - leave the room, go for a walk, or take a drive.
• Reach out to a friend - call, text, or visit a friend.
• Lean into the difficult emotion - let it wash over you, knowing it is temporary.
• Do self-care - journal, create something artistic, or enjoy some tea.
• Rest - nap if you are tired, or sit outside for a minute.
• Exercise - even gentle movement can be beneficial.
• Practice mindfulness - practice deep breathing or choose a self-compassion exercise.

I'm here to talk with you about anything to do with your health, so bring this up at your next appointment if you want to explore this issue more.

Dr. Jamie

Cavemen Did Not Go to the Gym

Cavemen never went to the gym, but they got plenty of exercise. Movement was incorporated into their lives because their survival depended on it. Hunting required fast, agile movements and endurance to outlast prey. Once secured, they had to carry it to the village and process it manually. 

The human body is designed to run, lift, throw, and push things. Movements that functionally engage multiple muscle groups are more natural movements. Unfortunately, our modern society limits our need for this type of movement.

When we go to the gym to work out, we have access to machines that can be used for a "full-body" workout. However, many of these machines isolate muscle groups to strengthen them. Isolating specific muscles unnaturally may create imbalances that can cause pain and overuse injuries.

Our body is not intended to endure repetitive movements on workout equipment in a gym. Moving your body as a whole will provide a better, well-balanced workout that gives you better long-term results.

Let’s learn from cavemen and benefit from functional movement today.

How to Move More Like a Caveman

Years ago, a huge tree branch fell in my parents' yard. It's hard to see, but this is me lifting it over my head. It used all my muscles, making it a full-body functional movement. The following are some functional movements that will get you moving more naturally.

Upper Body

• Push - This can be as simple as push-ups if you are at home with no equipment. If you do have equipment, you can do a bench press, a band press, or my favorite at the gym is to use the cable pulley machine to do a pushing motion. If those sound too difficult, a wall push-up can be an easy place to start.
• Pull - If you are at the gym, you can use the seated row machine or the cable pulley machine to do an upper body pulling motion. Another option here would be to use a dumbbell or kettlebell for a bent-over row. At home, exercise bands can be a great option for doing a pulling motion. 
• Overhead press - Here, use light dumbbells for an overhead press or a band (or my tried and true cable pulley machine with the pulley in the lowest position so the angle of my press is as upward as possible)
• Overhead pull - At the gym, you can use the lat pull-down machine, or you can use a pulley machine or pull a band with a downward motion. If you have a bar, this can be a pull-up. If you can't do a pull-up, you can use a band or chair to hold some of your weight. 

Lower Body

• Squat (standing from seated) - This can be done as simply as standing up from a chair or bench (air squats), or with weight (using a bar on the shoulder for back squat, or dumbbells or kettlebells in hand)
• Deadlift (picking things up off the ground)- with a barbell, dumbbell, or kettlebell

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What's on the Grill?

It's time to heat the grill. As the weather gets nice, it's a great time to cook and eat outside. It gets you in the fresh air and makes clean-up a snap.

Grilling out doesn’t have to involve a time-consuming recipe. In fact, simple recipes are often better.

Meat and veggies can make a delicious meal on their own; add grilled fruit, and you have a yummy dessert. Eating these simple, real foods is a healthy option for a dinner everyone will love.

Here are my top grilling tips you can enjoy this summer.

Protein

Start planning your meal by choosing quality meat. With most food, there is a spectrum of quality. You may not be able to get the highest quality; just do your best with the options available!

Let’s see what to look for when buying your meat...

1. Good - Unbreaded meat without sugary or processed sauces. (Note: The first ingredient in many BBQ sauces is high fructose corn syrup.)
2. Better - Meat from a healthy animal that had a chance to move around and eat its natural diet. (Look for words like pasture-raised chicken, grass-fed beef, or wild-caught fish.)
3. Best - Meat from a local farmer’s market where you can meet the farmer and ask how they raise the animals.

Grill the meat and keep it simple! You don't need to add much to good-quality meat; the flavor will be great on its own.

Veggies

It's easy to buy the same veggies each time we shop, but we tend to eat more when we have a variety. Choose a few new ones to throw on the grill this week. Some of my favorites are...

1. Eggplant - cut it into ½ - 1 inch patties.
2. Asparagus - bend the stalk to snap off the thick base, leaving the pretty flowery end.
3. Zucchini - slice into ¼ - ⅓ inch slices.
4. Onions - cut them in half (or smaller for kebabs)
5. Bell Peppers - cut for kebabs.
6. Mushrooms - portabellas are a good size for the grill (smaller ones are great in a grill veggie tray or on a kebab)
7. Cauliflower - remove the green leaves and cut into large “steaks” that are ½ - ¾ inch thick.
8. Acorn Squash - cut it in half, scrape out the sides, and grill it face down. (top with butter after cooking)
9. Yellow Squash - slice into ¼ - ⅓ inch patties.
10. Carrots - peel and throw the whole carrot on the grill 

You can also make foil packets to combine a variety of vegetables. Cut them into pieces and mix with some fat (i.e. coconut oil or ghee) and seasonings. You can wrap them in foil and place them on the grill. The smaller you dice them, the faster they will cook. 

Dessert

Peaches, pineapples, and pears are some of my favorite grilled fruits. They make an easy and tasty dessert!

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Eating Fat Does Not Make You Fat

Many of us were taught that eating fat would make us gain weight. We were never told that we need good fats in our diet to be healthy. Healthy fats help us feel full, stabilize blood sugar, maintain energy, and are essential in the body's production of hormones.

Since your body cannot make several of the necessary essential fatty acids, they must come from your diet. Without these nutrients, you may struggle with inflammation, fatigue, poor memory function, heart issues, depression, dry skin, and many other unpleasant symptoms. 

Let's consider if you are eating enough of the RIGHT types of fats. 

Healthy Fats vs. Unhealthy Fats

Eating enough fat is incredibly important, but eating the RIGHT kinds is the key! There is a big difference between good, natural, unprocessed, unrefined sources of fat and highly processed, refined fats. 

Healthy fats should be incorporated into your diet every day. On the other hand, processed and refined fats are considered “junk calories.” These unhealthy fats can be oxidized or rancid. They are unrecognizable to our bodies and contribute to a host of health problems. 

Good Healthy Fats

These foods contain GOOD Fats. Enjoy eating these frequently without guilt!

• Avocados
• Olives
• Ghee
• Butter (I especially love Kerrygold)
• Plain Yogurt (Full fat)
• Avocado Oil
• Coconut Oil
• Olive Oil
• Nuts
• Fish (salmon, herring, anchovies, and sardines)
• Grass Fed Beef
• Dark Meat (from free-range poultry)
• Animal Fat (lard, beef tallow, duck fat, etc.)
• Eggs (especially from pastured chickens)

*It is important that any animal product comes from healthy animals that got to eat their natural diets while they were alive.

Not-So-Healthy Fats

Reading labels will be important when trying to limit or eliminate unhealthy fats. They hide in processed foods such as chips, crackers, and baked goods. Look for oils such as...

• Safflower oil
• Sunflower oil
• Soybean oil
• Canola oil
• Corn oil
• Vegetable oil
• Margarine
• Crisco
• Peanut oil
• Wheatgerm oil
• Cottonseed oil
• Grapeseed oil
• Rice Bran oil
• Anything hydrogenated, or partially hydrogenated

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