Diet & nutrition
Identifying Emotional Eating Patterns (Part 2)

What we’ll cover:

  • Why the first step to managing emotional eating is to identify it
  • How to recognise your triggers
  • How to spot patterns in specific situations
  • How to reflect on what happens when you emotionally eat

In part one of this series, we discussed emotional eating and its impact on daily life. The connection between emotions and food choices can be complicated, often influenced by triggers such as places, memories, or people. The good news is that with greater awareness, you can begin to manage these emotions and food-related behaviours. The first step is recognising patterns in your emotions, behaviours, and food choices, and becoming more consciously aware of how these different factors interact.

Keep a Record

A ‘food and mood’ diary is a practical way to help you track and reflect on your eating habits and emotions. By recording specific details, you can identify the factors influencing your food choices and identify patterns. Here’s what to include:

  • What, when and where you ate
    Note what you ate, the time you ate it, and where you were. For example, record if you had toast at 8:00 am in your kitchen or biscuits at 3:00 pm in your office. This helps build a clear picture of your daily patterns and how they change in different settings.
  • Hunger levels
    Assess whether you ate because of physical hunger or emotional triggers. The hunger scale can help measure your hunger before and after eating, helping you understand if the meal or snack satisfies genuine hunger.
  • Emotions
    Pay attention to how you feel before, during and after eating. Are you stressed, bored, sad, or happy? Noticing patterns between emotions and food choices can help you predict when emotional eating is likely to occur. Once these connections are clear, you can explore ways to manage both the emotion and the desire to eat.
  • Triggers
    Identify the situations, people, places, or events that lead to emotional eating. Understanding these triggers empowers you to develop strategies to respond differently, whether it’s a stressful meeting, a specific location, or a difficult conversation.

How can this help?

By keeping a detailed food and mood diary, you create a clear picture of the relationship between your emotions and eating habits. This awareness is the foundation for change. Identifying triggers and patterns allows you to anticipate situations where emotional eating is likely to occur and empowers you to make more intentional choices. Instead of being reactive, you can start to take control, developing strategies to manage your emotions and reduce the urge to eat in response to them. Over time, this process helps you build a healthier, more balanced relationship with food, giving you the tools to align your choices with your long-term goals.

What if these patterns feel overwhelming?

If identifying these patterns feels overwhelming, or if you notice that emotional eating is leading to more unhelpful behaviours or feels hard to control, it’s okay to seek extra support. Your clinician or another healthcare professional can provide a safe space to explore these feelings and help you understand what’s happening. They can work with you to explore these patterns and support you in finding the right level of support. 

Summary:

Now that we’ve explored what emotional eating is and how to identify patterns in your own life, the next step is learning how to manage these behaviours. While emotions can be complex, there are practical strategies that can help you anticipate and navigate situations where emotional eating is more likely to occur. In part three of our series on emotional eating, we’ll guide you through these strategies to help you take control and build a healthier relationship with food.

January 6, 2025
Written by
Robbie Green RD
Reviewed by
Dr Claudia Ashton
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