Be aware - stress and boredom also provoke to keep eating something, which is very harmful for our health…

Food is necessary, but when there is a desire, it is not always necessary to eat. The reason is that sometimes hunger is in the brain rather than in the stomach. You must have noticed one thing when we are under the pressure of emotions, we want to eat something or the other even though we are not hungry. This type of eating is called 'emotional eating. Stress, depression, loneliness, irritability, anxiety, and anger are the feelings that make a person want to eat something. Similarly, if you are alone and bored, there is a desire to keep eating something. In this way, we eat more and can gradually become a victim of obesity. 

[Overeating may harm health]

Actually, mood and desire to eat are linked in the brain. Certain chemicals control both our appetite and mood. For example, stress increases the number of chemicals such as galanin and neuropeptide Y in the brain, leading to a craving for a diet rich in fats and carbohydrates. Some people want to eat chocolate under stress because the amount of carbohydrates and fat in it is high. Serotonin and endorphins are released from the carbohydrates present in chocolate, which improves the mood and makes you feel better. On the other hand, the fat present in it increases the level of galanin in the body. In this way, you feel like eating chocolate again and again. 

The hormones produced in the body during stress prompt us to eat a diet high in fat and high in sugar, which can be called 'stress eating'. Because of this, people often eat more than they need. During times of stress, the adrenal gland produces more cortisol hormone, which also increases appetite. 

Apart from stress, there are many other reasons due to which people eat more-

Boredom - Often when we are bored sitting idle, we start eating something.

Habits- The behavior of eating and drinking also depends on the habits of the person, such habits are developed from childhood.

Fatigue - If you're tired, you often eat without thinking, especially when you're tired of doing something you didn't want to do. So it can be said that overeating can also be the result of unwanted activities. 

Social influence -  There are some friends who insist on having pizza, dinner, or drinks after a night out. That's why we often overeat. This situation also happens in the family's pleas. 

When you want to eat something by mind, not by hungry- It is common to eat easily available things during times of stress. That is, packaged, fried foods. This starts a vicious cycle. Constant overeating has a bad effect on your stomach and health, and it increases your stress and anxiety even more.  

Some tips to avoid frequent overeating-

1. Don't be too strict in the diet - If you feel like eating something, don't avoid it by force. An important rule of nutrition is not to deprive yourself of things that you feel like eating. Sometimes we do not consume the right amount of calories due to being too strict in food. It is not right to completely deprive yourself of something.

2. Suffering from major diseases- If you are doing this due to any disease, then consult your doctor or dietician. Studies have shown that completely giving up one thing is not effective in losing weight, on the contrary, it harms mental and physical health and increases stress.

3. Keep better options in the house- like fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts. Choose foods with a balanced amount of protein, fiber, and fat. They will get nourishment and will also fill the stomach. Instead of stuffing cookies or candy in jars, keep these healthy foods in the kitchen.  So keep sweet baked foods, candy, chips, and cookies out of your sight. Although sometimes delicious things should also be enjoyed, consuming them regularly can be harmful to your physical and mental health.

4. Make a good eating timetable- If you are not in the habit of eating three times a day, then make such a habit. Often in the rush of work, we do not keep the food schedule right. So make a regular eating pattern according to your need. If you feel like eating snacks frequently, then eat good food twice a day, so that you do not feel like eating unhealthy snacks in between.

5. Control the quantity- People tend to eat snacks in the same packing as they bring. By doing this we often end up overeating. For example, if you eat chips straight from the packet, you will eat more quantity, so eat comfortably by taking the right amount on the plate. By eating on a small plate instead of a large container, you will be able to control the quantity.

6. How to get rid of stress -  Do not allow overeating, so it is better not to let the stress increase. Learn to manage emotions. Feelings like sadness worry, disappointment will come, but how much you are affected by them is up to you. Here are some tips that you can follow to avoid negative emotions.

7. Exercise- Exercising keeps the amount of cortisol in the body under control, so that you can stay safe from the negative effects of stress. Activities like yoga involve a combination of both exercise and meditation.

8. Meditation- Studies have proved that meditation provides relief in stress. Along with this, it has also been found effective in blood pressure and heart diseases. With a calm mind, you eat consciously. You consider how you should eat a diet free of fat or sugar.

9. Social support- Support from family, friends, and other people in the society can also be effective in relieving stress. If being alone makes you bored or stressed, hang out with loved ones, play a team game.

Stay healthy, stay safe...