Emotional eating can sneak into your life so quietly, you almost don't notice it at first. For me, it wasn't about bingeing or dramatic moments of collapse—it was a few crackers here, a handful of cereal there. It was the chocolate I kept in my desk drawer "just in case," or grabbing bites of my kids' lunch while I cleaned up, even though I wasn't really hungry.
I'm a working mom of two, married, and trying (like many of us) to do it all: be present at home, focused at work, and vaguely healthy in between. But the reality is, there are days when I feel like my body is running on cortisol and coffee. Days when I'm overstimulated and emotionally tapped before 10 am.
And that's when I notice it—those unplanned, unconscious eating moments that have nothing to do with hunger. They're not about food. They're about soothing emotions I've been pushing aside.
For me, emotional eating is a
signal, not a failure. It's my body saying, "I need comfort. I need a break. I need you to pay attention."
So here's how I've started managing it, not by cutting things out, but by checking in:
A tip I live by: Interrupt the moment. When I catch myself reaching for food out of stress, I pause and ask:
- Have I eaten a real meal today?
- Am I overwhelmed, bored, or overstimulated?
- What do I actually need in this moment?
Sometimes, I still eat the snack—and that's okay. But other times, I step outside and get some air. I drink a glass of water. I text my husband: "Please talk me out of stress-eating the kid's gummies." I turn on a 5-minute meditation. I give myself what I'm
actually craving: a pause.
I also try to schedule real meals, even if they're simple. When I eat with intention, I snack less reactively. And when I treat food as fuel
and joy, not a reward or a guilty habit, it helps reframe the whole conversation.
I'm not perfect. Some weeks are better than others. But I'm learning to listen to my cues without shame, to treat myself with a little more grace, and to slow down when I can.
Sometimes, the strongest thing I do all day is put the crackers down, take a breath, and ask, "What do I really need right now?"
Because if I can teach my kids anything, it's that listening to your needs is strength, not selfishness.
Kristel (TA Marketing)
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