Maga Woman Magazine - issue #1

Why do we do it?
Comfort and Pleasure
Food impacts your body and emo¬tions, and
at times, this can give comfort, relief, or relaxed
feelings.
Studies show that eating leads to the production
of a neurotransmitter called dopamine,
which activates reward and pleasure centres in
the brain and causes a sense of pleasure and
comfort. Food is a potent natural reward.
Emotional Eating – Warning Signs
There are several warning signs that your emotional
eating or stress eating is getting out of
hand. How many do you have?
Your “eat to zone out” habit is escalating
into something more serious that you feel
you can’t easily control
You find yourself eating when you’re not
really hungry?
You use food as a source of comfort
when you’re feeling sad, anxious, or
bored
You feel guilty or speak negatively to yourself
after a bout of emotional eating
You have struggled with this for at least
12 months and are finding it difficult to
get on top of things.
Although emotional eating is a fairly common
problem, most of us don’t realise how
strongly our feelings can impact our eating
habits.
Understanding Your Hunger
Firstly, it’s important to understand the difference
between emotional hunger and physical
hunger.
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Maga Women Magazine