I think we’ve all experienced emotional eating at some point whether it was to ease boredom, soothe uncomfortable emotions or even celebrate, rather than to satisfy REAL hunger. We may even have felt powerless to our cravings. Unfortunately, emotional hunger can’t be satisfied with food and perpetuates a self defeating cycle of guilt and shame.

How can you spot emotional hunger and what can you do about it? Emotional hunger usually pops up as sudden craving for a specific food, often resulting from a specific situation or emotional trigger. Another clue is a feeling of not being satisfied even after being full.

If you pay close attention to your cravings, you can create a practice of replacing your "unhealthy comfort foods" with more nutritious versions, while also satisfying your cravings.