Why You’re Overeating and How to Stop

Written By Dave Lewis

“I’ll just have a little bit”, when the tub of buttered popcorn is passed your way while you’re at a movie with some friends. Past experience tells you though, that it won’t be a small handful, you’re likely to go in for more, and even more when the opportunity presents itself. 

Or the bowl of potato chips when you’re at a gathering, watching the Super Bowl or the Oscars. It’s not going to be just a few, you’ll keep going in for more, because that’s what you do. 

For some of us, the temptation to eat more than we’d like is an impossible temptation to resist. And, as many times as we’ve tried to overcome it through diets and sensible portion sizes and just stopping at one piece of pizza, it seems like our brains just keep telling us to eat and eat some more.  

While food is something that we need, something that our bodies require, eating too much, too often, can lead to some serious health conditions like Obesity, Type 2 diabetes, and more. It also makes us feel uncomfortable, sluggish, and just, bad.

So why do we do it? What is it that compels us to to eat, well beyond the point at which we’re still hungry? And, more importantly, how do we rid ourselves of this tendency to binge?

What is Hunger? 

First, let’s look at exactly what hunger is. Webster’s dictionary describes hunger as, “A craving or urgent need for food or a specific nutrient.” Notice that the definition begins with, “A craving or urgent need…” At first glance, that seems pretty cut and dry, but give it some thought, and it’s actually an open-ended definition, leaving a lot of room for interpretation. After all, “a craving or urgent need,” can mean a lot of different things, so let’s talk about that. 

There are two main types of hunger that we experience, one is physical hunger and the other is emotional hunger. 

Physical hunger, or true hunger, is when or bodies are tell us that we’re running out of energy, and that energy needs to be replaced. Our stomachs may feel empty, we may feel low on energy, or get a little dizzy or light-headed. And, when this happens, give our bodies some nutrients and, before too long, we’ll be good to go. 

Emotional hunger, unlike physical hunger, originates from our emotions or psyche. It’s not true hunger in the sense that our bodies physically need food. Rather, it’s more the idea that our desire for food is an emotional response to things like stress, anxiety or boredom. In other words, it stems from how we emotionally feel as opposed to what we physically need. And, unlike physical hunger, which can be easily satisfied, emotional hunger realistically can’t be satisfied simply because, it’s not the actual issue; it’s merely a response to something that lay much deeper. 

And, to get an idea of how widespread of an issue this is, Dr. Susan Albers from the Cleveland Clinic says that, “Research has indicated that about 75% of all of our eating is emotionally driven. We eat not because we're hungry, because we're bored, we're stressed, we're anxious.”

                                                                                                    
CharacteristicPhysical HungerEmotional Hunger
OnsetDevelops graduallyDevelops quickly
TriggerTriggered by physiological cues such as an empty stomach, low blood sugar Triggered by emotions such as sadness, loneliness or stress
SatisfactionSatisfied by balanced, nutritious meals May persist even after eating, difficult to feel satisfied
ImpactSupports overall health and well-being May contribute to unhealthy eating habits, potential weight issues
source

You’re not alone

If the description of emotional hunger sounds a bit too familiar to you, firstly, know that you’re not alone. Approximately 9% of the US population will experience an eating disorder at some point in their lives, but I suspect that number is very conservative. And I hate the term, “disorder”, because it implies that there’s something wrong with you, which there’s not; it simply tends to be the best term that’s suited for our condition. 

And secondly, these cravings that you experience, these desires to eat even though you’re not physically hungry, are not your fault. 

Way back, in the dawn of humanity, calories were scarce at times, and the threat of starvation was something that was faced on a daily basis. Because there was a very real possibility that we would go for days, or longer, without food, it was in our best interest to eat as much of it as we could. And it was the calorie rich foods that were most sought after, things like honey and animal fats.

Now consider that, keeping our hard-wired tendencies in mind, food is all around us. We no longer have to forage or hunt for it, we simply need to pull our smartphones our and order it, or get in the car and drive to the nearest fast food restaurant, which is less than a mile away in most cases. When we go to meetings, food is there; we show up at a social event, food is there; we get together with friends, food is there; and most of it isn’t the nutrient rich foods that are bodies truly crave. 

As a culture, we’re putting away more and more calories each year. In 1961, we took in an average of 2880 calories per day and, and that jumped to 3600 calories per day in 2016, an increase of 24%. And, by the way, if you were wondering what our recommended caloric intake is? It’s somewhere in the neighborhood of 2000-2500 calories. 

Clearly, we’ve transitioned from a people who no longer eat based on what our bodies need; rather, we tend to eat based on what our brains want. And keep in mind that this doesn’t apply to everyone, there are those of us who seem to have an easier time of it, they’re able to resist temptation and eat sensibly, while not succumbing to the temptations that exist all around us. 

Different people, different struggles

Understand that our brains aren’t all wired the same, some will naturally have an easier time staying away from food. But, we all have our issues, areas in which we’ll always struggle. For some, it may be an unhealthy obsession to keep their house or apartment clean; for others, there may be an extreme guilt associated with not being the most productive person at work or getting the best grade in school; and for others,  it may be a fear of being alone, of not being continually surrounded by others.

The bottom line is that everyone has their “thing”, those issues in which we’re always going to struggle. And, though some may, on the surface at least, seem more beneficial than others, they each present a very real struggle for those who experience them. 

Advertising: It starts at a young age

From the moment we are born, we’re bombarded with messages telling us that we should eat high sugar and highly processed food. Children are very important targets to manufacturers of snacks, cereals and fast food, and kids have the ability to influence how parents spend money. Have you ever been in a grocery store and seen a child pleading with their parent to buy those things that they’ve seen advertised on TV? Now, imagine being that parent. 

Here’s the rub. These same young children who are targeted in advertising campaigns don’t yet have fully developed cognitive skills. Meaning, they tend to accept things at face value and don’t have the ability to think about the implications of their choices on their long-term health. So, the constant exposure, and the satisfaction that they receive when eating these foods has the potential to go a long way towards forming thinking as we mature into adulthood.  

It continues into adulthood

As we become adults, because of our hard-wired tendencies to eat more than we probably should, and those desires are reinforced from the time that we’re young, it’s entirely understandable that turning to food as a coping mechanism may seem quite natural for some. And again, if you’re prone to dealing with some of life’s issues with food, you’re not alone. 

Let’s look at some numbers from the American Psychological Association about how widespread of an issue this is: 

“Thirty-eight percent of adults say they have overeaten or eaten unhealthy foods in the past month because of stress. Half of these adults (49 percent) report engaging in these behaviors weekly or more.

Thirty-three percent of adults who report overeating or eating unhealthy foods because of stress say they do so because it helps distract them from stress.

Twenty-seven percent of adults say they eat to manage stress and 34 percent of those who report overeating or eating unhealthy foods because of stress say this behavior is a habit.

After having overeaten or eaten unhealthy foods, half of adults (49 percent) report feeling disappointed in themselves, 46 percent report feeling bad about their bodies and more than one-third (36 percent) say they feel sluggish or lazy.”

That last point is interesting. Almost half of the adults experience negative feelings after eating as a coping mechanism for stress, yet they still continue the behavior. Sound familiar? 

Fight or Flight? And I’m bored!

Stress can put us into “fight or flight” mode and, going back to the easier days of humanity, makes us crave calories. After all, regardless of whether we choose to fight, or we choose flight, calories will be needed. 

And stress isn’t the only emotional trigger that causes us to overeat. 

Boredom is also a major trigger for over eating. When we’re bored, we’re looking for something to do, something to occupy our time. When food is so ready available, it satisfies that need to do something, making us feel purposeful, as if we’re accomplishing something. 

And then there are some foods that are just naturally addictive. Foods like potato chips, French fries and buttered popcorn. The reality is that there are certain types of foods that are nearly impossible not to eat far more than we should for those who are prone to over eating. 

Researchers at the University of Michigan conducted a study involving addictive-like foods and they found that, “92% of participants exhibited addictive-like eating behavior toward certain foods…” Not surprisingly, these foods all tended to be highly processes, and high in sugar and/or fat. 

And yet one more thing that makes things even tougher for those of us who have issues with food, is that food is something that’s required for our survival. People who struggle with other issues, such as the previously mentioned habitual cleaners, or those who can’t stand to be alone, don’t have that same problem. Food is basic to our survival, and we’re exposed to it all throughout the day, just about wherever we go. Its temptations are literally impossible to remove from our lives in most cases.

The way out

So where do we go from here? If you struggle with food, as many of us do, how do we learn to tame this obsession or suppress some of these desires that seem to sabotage us on a daily basis? 

There’s good news, and there’s bad news, bad news first. 

It’s likely a temptation that’s always going to be there for some, there is no magic wand that can be waved to suddenly “fix” us and get rid of these urges. But, there are some things that we can do to make things a heck of a lot better. 

Firstly, talk to someone, talk to a friend or significant other, someone who you can trust and is safe and let them know what you’re struggling. And, if you do chose this route, by all means be prepared to tell them how not to respond. 

For those who don’t share the same struggles as you do in the area of food, who can’t relate to your what you’re going through, it can be tempting to say things like, “Have you tried a diet?”, or “Just eat less, have a little willpower…”. Uhmm..ya, thanks for that. Been there, done that, it doesn’t work. Let them know that you don’t expect them to understand, but that this is a very real issue for you and you would appreciate their support. 

Talking to a therapist who’s familiar with this issue may also be something to consider. Speaking with someone who’s familiar with your situation can be a real life saver when it comes to helping you dig into the reasons why you’re struggling and how to navigate out of them. 

Getting enough sleep is also important and, when it comes to food, it’s a bigger issue that you may imagine. Simply put, when we don’t get enough sleep, our bodies tell use to eat. 

Firstly, it inhibits activity in our brain’s frontal lobe, which is the part that’s responsible for things like self control and decision making. 

And secondly, it causes a whole host of chemical reactions in our brains that make it much harder to resist the urge to eat. In fact, some studies suggest that, when we don’t get enough sleep, we get the “munchies”, that mirror the urges to eat when we’re stoned.

When in doubt, move!

Exercise can also be a very important component. When we dive into and commit to an exercise program, a few things happen. Firstly, our urge to eat drops in the few hours following exercise. A Drexel University study says this: 

“When participants did not engage in exercise, the risk of overeating in the following hours was 12 percent. Whereas when participants engaged in 60 minutes of exercise, the risk of overeating was cut by more than half, to five percent.

For every additional 10 minutes of exercise a participant engaged in, the likelihood of overeating decreased by one percent in the few hours following exercise”

And then, as we see our bodies change as we become more physically fit, the desire to eat foods that are more nutritious begins to take over, our purpose for eating can begin to change and we start to give our bodies what they need as opposed to what our brains tells us we want. A study at Leeds University in England suggested that. “working out for a period of time could nudge us to rethink the kinds of foods we want to eat.” 

In my experience, Ive found this to be amazingly accurate. Committing to an exercise program, in my case, it’s running, has dramatically changed my food choices. Because I no longer what to sabotage my progress, things like deserts, sugary high-fat foods, are much easier to resist. Portion sizes are much easier to control. When I’m in situations where food is abundant, find myself talking much smaller portions, and I’m a lot less likely to go back for seconds. Of course the temptation is always there, it’s just easier to resist because my purpose has changed. 

The reality

One more thing that I’ll mention is that you may need to make some hard choices when it comes to your environment. If there’s a situation where the temptation may be difficult to resist, don’t put yourself there. And when shopping, don’t buy foods that you know will cause issues, be ruthless in your purchasing decisions, don’t allow yourself to be surrounded by things that will make things harder for you. Instead, opt for high fiber foods, things like whole grains, fruits and veggies. 

To be honest, eating veggies can be a bit boring. It’s good for us, and we know that we should eat more of them, but how do you transition to a diet that’s rich in them? 

In my case, smoothies have been a Godsend. I’ll make a huge smoothie at night, then pour it into 4 different glasses, and drink them throughout the day, then make another one at night and start the process all over again. As far as I what I put in them, I’ll throw in a 5oz bag of leafy greens (usually Power to the Greens from Trader Joe’s) along with some broccoli, cauliflower and carrots (Normandy Style Vegetable Blend from Costco), along with berries, a banana and a little mango for sweetness, and I’m good to go! 

At the end of the day though, the temptation to overeat, go keep consuming food well after our bodies have had enough, can be strong. Considering the fact that our brains are hard wired to do this, and the additional pressure of being taught at a very young age, that sugar and fat filled delicacies are fantastic food options, it’s little wonder that more of us don’t struggle in this area. But, getting support, committing to an exercise program and ensuring that we get plenty of rest can prove to be very effective tools in our ongoing struggle. Read more about it, educate yourself, just taking this simple step will go a long way towards keeping things in proper perspective next time that bowl of buttered popcorn gets passed around. 

Dave Lewis
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