Healthy Diet Plan
- End Emotional Eating

Losing weight is a proven, effective antiaging technique. Any healthy diet plan will work as long as you take in less calories than you expend during the day. It all sounds so easy, but it's not. In order to lose weight you need to know why you eat.

If you eat to sustain your life and are hungry when you eat, you will have an easier time with weight loss. In fact, you may not even have a weight problem. But for the rest of us, food is more than just something we need to give us energy. We are emotional eaters. This is a problem because experts say that emotions cause 75% of overeating.

People eat when they are stressed, bored or depressed. Others eat because everyone else is eating, we are after all, social creatures. And we can't forget the mindless eating that occurs because we "always" eat when we are doing something like watching TV.

To combat these less than healthy eating habits, you need to be aware of why you eat. If you can understand what triggers your eating patterns and change the habits that cause you to overeat, you will be on your way to a healthy diet plan and a healthier weight.

• STRESS

  Stress is a major contributor to the aging process. It can also cause some people to overeat. If you find that your life is full of stress take action now to alleviate that stress with something other than food.

• BOREDOM

  This is a common cause of overeating. You don't have anything to do or aren't sure what to do so you eat. If you find yourself eating when you are bored, plan ahead. Make a list of things that you want to accomplish but don't have time for. When the urge to eat because of boredom strikes, look at your list and do something. You could also go for a walk or work on a craft project that will keep your hands busy.

• DEPRESSION

  Sadness or depression can often cause overeating. The need for comfort is normal, however comfort food is often fattening and unhealthy. Instead find comfort with friends who will listen to you and encourage you.

• REWARDS

  You finally finished that project so you - "Go out to eat at your favorite restaurant." While there's nothing wrong with going out to eat, often reward eating leads to overeating. Instead, reward yourself with something inedible like a massage, a new outfit, or a new book that you've been dying to read.

• SOCIAL

  This is probably the most difficult overeating habit to break. Usually when we gather with friends it's to eat. And when we're having a good time and chatting with others, we aren't as aware of how much we're eating. To combat this, plan ahead. If you know the restaurant you're going to, plan what you will order so that you're not swayed by what others are ordering. Order first if you can, for the same reason. Instead of gathering to eat, get your friends to go on a hike or bike ride. Visit historical sites or museums that interest everyone. Be aware and you can stop social overeating.

But what if you don't know why you overeat? How do you develop a healthy diet plan? Dr. Roger Gould, a Psychiatrist and Associated Clinical Professor with UCLA has developed an online program to help emotional eaters overcome overeating.

The program helps you to identify why you overeat and then helps you to break the bad habits through guided sessions similar to working with a personal therapist. The program, called Shrink Yourself, has been used in over 20 hospitals with effective results. Before You Overeat Again, Take the Shrink Yourself Program. Clinically Proven 12 Week Online Program.

We all need a healthy diet plan to look younger and feel better. If you are having trouble sticking to a healthy plan, you may be dealing with emotional eating. Figure out what is causing you to overeat and be on your way to a healthy weight.