Learn Seven Stress-Busting Strategies to Combat Emotional Eating

Stress. It can’t be avoided. We all have those, “Calgon, take me away!” moments. Let’s face it—life is difficult sometimes. There are simply days when you want to bury yourself under the covers and eat candy, or chips, or whatever you like to snack on. Ever been there? Until we get to heaven, stress is just a part of daily life, but how we deal with that stress is what keeps us from being stressed out, desperate and depressed.

Too many people turn to food when feeling stressed out. Food becomes a soothing, calming agent—a friend to turn to when circumstances seem too hard—an escape from the day-to-day stressors of life. Experts call this response to stress “emotional eating.”

Are you an emotional eater?

If you answered, “yes,” you’re not alone. Many people, men and women, rich and poor, famous and not-so famous, have admitted to being emotional eaters. In an interview with esteemed talk show personality Larry King, singer Wynona Judd talked about her battle with food and the way it had consumed much of her life. She spoke from her heart about emotional eating, and I remember thinking, “I wonder how many other women are in that same situation?”

Wynona said, “It was consuming a lot of my life. I mean food to me is what alcohol is to the alcoholic and the struggles up and down. You know the business. One minute you’re number one. The next minute you’re number zero. And I had just been using food for every emotion I had.”

Maybe some of you are in that same situation today—using food to deal with every emotion you have. I know it’s hard to admit that you’re an emotional eater, but it’s time to get honest with yourself because that’s the first step to winning this battle. The reason I know it’s a difficult thing to admit is because I’ve been right where you are. Food used to be stronghold in my life, but praise God, I have the victory today! I’ve been delivered and set free, and you can be, too! 

I want to give you seven healthy ways to deal with stress and combat emotional eating, but first I want you to pray this prayer with me. “Father God, I thank You for loving me and caring about every part of my life. Lord, I ask that You deliver me from the strongholds in my life and help me to grow in the areas of discipline and self control. Father, I ask that You fill me up with Your all-consuming love so that I won’t need food or anything else to fill me or satisfy me. I know, Father, that I can do all things through You, so I claim that promise (Matt. 19:26) and praise You that You will be with me as I start a new journey today—a journey that is free from emotional eating and any other destructive force in my life. In Jesus’ Mighty Name. Amen.”

Next post I’ll give you 2 of the 7  healthy ways to deal with stress and combat emotional eating.