Do you know what situations trigger overeating or excessive snacking for you? Psychotherapists identify various triggers for different negative states such as depression, anxiety or stress. This can be applied to people who use food as consolation or a crutch...

1) There may be people that you find take more energy then you have just to be around them.  It is not altogether unheard of to use food as a coping mechanism to deal with these feelings.

2) Friday and Saturday nights home alone can be a vulnerable time for you to overeat.  What do you do when you feel alone, and how does eating factor in?

3) Perhaps you tend to overeat while working on a school or work project. Many people overeat when experiencing stress or facing deadlines.

Think back to times when you have really and truly over-indulged. If you can identify three typical times for you that lead to overeating, you really have your finger on something quite important... Understanding the reasons why you overeat is the key to breaking a pattern or habit.

The second step is finding new responses instead of the habit you are trying to kick (this can also work with eating, smoking, or drinking). Cognitive behavioural therapy uses insight work to help the person identify factors at play.  Techniques are utilised to counter these tendencies and introduce ways to elevate moods.

Once you can identify your vulnerabilities, you can look at ways to stop these triggers from becoming an eating downfall for you. You may see that it isn't fruitful to have a weekend night by yourself if you tend to get depressed and lonely. This can be a good time to see a movie, be in a support group or spend time with friends. If friendships are difficult for you, or you can't find activities for Friday and Saturday evenings, then that's a perfect time to join a support group to help understand the underlying feelings and reactions.

For many women stress is a trigger. They feel if they are having a bad day it justifies overeating. "If I am tired at work and have to pull a late night I always end up justifying the vending machine and a couple of chocolate purchases." says Sarah. If stress is a trigger for bad eating habits for you, such as when you are working on a project, a suggestion is to get prepared. Prepare healthy snacks like chopped fresh fruit and veggies that you can pick at, and keep a pot of herbal tea on the go that you can top up. For a more disciplined approach, you can set a reminder on your email to pop up when you are allowed to have a snack and do not get one at any other time.

If there are people who are draining you and this is an over-eating trigger, try to make occasions to see them when you will not be around food. A good idea is to go for a long walk - it'll burn off stress and calories, instead of sitting in a cafe and eating while the other person vents.

Knowing your food triggers is the first step to controlling them and living a healthier lifestyle, so make note of when you feel at your weakest around food and why this is.

Article by Rachel Goodchild

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