Emotional Eating Hunger

Overweight or not, emotional eating is a common yet often times not realized cause of weight problem. Have you ever eaten because of any other reason but hunger? When your stomach did not ruble, grumble or pang but you still feel that dramatic push as a "must eat NOW!" that is the emotional hunger pushing, not the physical hunger.

When you think about it, with all these diets all around, with all these healthy eating plans, it is alarming that the statistics show more and more people suffering due to their overweight. We should all be getting better and better, not going from bad to worse. Unfortunately the cruel reality shows that we are fighting a powerful enemy... not just a plate of food.

Every time when you felt that urge to eat, that sudden "must" to get a bite of that "forbidden food" comes and hits so strongly that we indulge another and another bite. Even when full, the emotional eating will not stop, forcing in another bite and then another until feeling guilty.

Let's see more characteristics of the emotional eating.

It comes all of a sudden, installing itself regardless of the fact that you might have just eaten, demanding immediate satisfaction. Emotional eating hunger is unaware of how much food is being eaten and also it doesn't really matter what is being eaten what's more... the eagerness to eat more doesn't stop even after you're full. Oftentimes it only is satisfied with certain cravings, usually your favorite indulgence. The guilt that follows makes the person cover it in promises of doing better the next time.

However, facing it, it is obvious that emotional food hunger is generated by an emotional and not a physical issue. The real "generators", or factors that lead to this condition are such as: a relation break up, a partner cheating, losing one's job, someone close getting sick etc.

Many times it is the response to rejection. People simply do not feel loved and appreciated for what they are; they are in a continuous competition and battle to achieve the best on their profession, looks and relationships, yet the greatest mistake is when they compare themselves to others thus setting goals hard to achieve, unrealistic and severe. The stress levels accumulate leading the person to a response of some sort. Often times, chocolate comes in handy, one more tomorrow as it made me feel good today, and if you feel rejected by your partner, community or at work, you will unconsciously try to make up for it somehow.

A piece of something sweet (or anything to eat really) might seem good for the moment but it becomes something usual, then a habit and afterward, it is installed to stay there in your daily routine as something you couldn't do without because it gives a good feeling while you eat... as after eating... guilt comes and here we go again to the next time.

Counting calories doesn't help either...so what can be done?

You need to go deep, deeper than your stomach because emotional eating hunger has its origins in the brain, if not even deeper than that, in your soul. Yes, I mean your heart and soul because it is then that you feel the pain of rejection, you might have felt it since the day you were born and I think we all are familiar with that to a certain degree.

The thing is to start searching your soul, your heart. What are you really trying to cover with that food? Is it frustration, is it anxiety and fear of different things situations or people, is it rejection? No amount of food will ever sooth the pain in your soul, the fear of being alone tomorrow or the lack of love you crave for. But, there is a Real Help: all your soul needs and will ever need within One Person, not in a theory or diet or set of rules and regulations. One person understands what's going on in your life 100%, He knows better than yourself what you're going trough and has no cheap surrogates for your problem. Yes, you might have guessed, I am talking about God, about Jesus Christ His Son.

Nothing else will work better because Jesus Knows what you've been trough, Jesus is willing to help you whenever you ask for His help. If you knew what I just told you was the truth, would you be willing to ask God for help?

You know, it is true, if you don't believe it is not because it has not been proven, it is simply because you have not known about Him or perhaps you have not yet carefully examined the proof of history, science and experience concerning Jesus Christ.

What God wants you to know is that He knows about your struggle, He knows all your frustration and He loves you so much that even the hair on your head are numbered! He knows you to the greatest detail and in His love, He sent Jesus Christ to prove His love towards you. Jesus Christ died on the cross for us to have eternal life, not just a struggle here on earth. God has a great plan for your life even if you don't know it yet!

However, you will know His plan if you come to Him and ask! The first step is to come in His family, as He wants to make you His child, to make you a completely new person in Christ. Once you are His, and you renew your mind believing what God says you are in Christ, you have that inner need for love and acceptance covered, fulfilled and satisfied; thus your heart and soul get the healing they need.

"Therefore Jesus said again, "I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." John 10:7-10

The pasture Jesus promises is the spiritual food we need in order to stop trying to satisfy it with physical food. It is much more than food actually; it is life from abundance! Ask God for this life, don't settle for anything less!