Introduction

As a woman over 50 navigating the ups and downs of menopause, you certainly know all too well the emotional rollercoaster that can come with hormonal changes. One minute you’re feeling on top of the world, the next you’re in tears over something silly. And let’s not even talk about the cravings!

If this sounds familiar, you’re definitely not alone. In fact, a recent study found that more women experience increased emotional eating during perimenopause and menopause, than previously expected. The real number might even be higher¹. So, if you find yourself reaching for the ice cream every time, you’re feeling stressed, anxious, or just plain moody, take comfort in knowing that you are part of a very large (and totally relatable) club.

But what exactly is emotional eating, and how is it different from normal, healthy eating? In this article, I’ll dive into the science behind emotional eating, debunk some common myths, and share some tips for getting it under control. Because let’s face it – we’ve got enough to deal with during this stage of life without adding guilt and shame around our eating habits to the mix. And stay tuned, there are more articles and posts in the pipeline.

What is Emotional Eating?

At its core, emotional eating is the practice of using food to cope with or manage our emotions. It’s turning to food – whether that’s a pint of Ben & Jerry’s, a bag of chips, or an entire sleeve of Oreos – as a way to soothe uncomfortable feelings like stress, anxiety, sadness, or even boredom. You eat, even though you are not hungry, and your nutritional needs are met.

The thing is emotional eating is in fact a very normal and common human behavior. A 2013 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that nearly 40% of people engage in emotional eating on a regular basis ². So, if you find yourself doing it, you’re definitely not alone. And, by the way, this covers both genders and many age groups.

The reason emotional eating is so prevalent is that food can actually provide a temporary mood boost. When we eat something delicious, our brain releases feel-good chemicals like dopamine and serotonin. This can make us feel better in the moment. But the effects are fleeting, and before long, we end up right back where we started – or even worse off, thanks to the guilt and shame that often accompanies emotional eating.

Emotional Eating vs. Mindful Eating vs. Intuitive Eating

It’s important to note that emotional eating is not the same as mindful or intuitive eating, which are much healthier approaches to our relationship with food.

Mindful Eating

Mindful eating involves being fully present and attuned to the physical sensations of hunger and satiety, as well as the taste and texture of the food we’re consuming. It’s about eating with intention and attention, rather than using food as a way to numb out or distract from our emotions. Spoiler alert: even if you are in a situation to give in and inhale an entire Apple Pie – you can learn to stop and switch to “Mindful Mode”. It might require some trial and error, but you can learn this.

Intuitive Eating

Intuitive eating, on the other hand, is all about honouring our body’s natural hunger and fullness cues. When we allowing ourselves to eat what we truly want and need, without judgment or restriction. It’s the opposite of the restrictive, diet-mentality that so many of us have been conditioned to adopt. Honestly, I have never met a woman who has never dieted a day in her life. Or the other way round: all women I know have experience with diets. Some of them are really experts, with decades of experience.

Emotional Eating or Binge Eating

Emotional eating, on the other hand, is all about using food as a way to cope with our emotions, rather than addressing the root cause of the issue. It’s a Band-Aid solution that may provide temporary relief, but ultimately does nothing to actually resolve the underlying emotional turmoil. At this stage, I also want to mention binge eating, and how it is different from emotional eating;

Emotional eating is defined as a nonpathological eating behavior, whereas binge-eating disorder (BED) is defined as a pathological eating behavior. While different, both share some striking similarities, such as deficits in emotion regulation and inhibition³.

In other words: the emotional eater and the binge eater use food to overcome negative feelings, but binge eating typically involves huge quantities of food, way beyond fullness.

The Science Behind Emotional Eating

So, what’s really going on in our brains and bodies when we engage in emotional eating? It turns out there’s a pretty complex interplay of hormones, neurotransmitters, and psychological factors at play.

When we’re feeling stressed, anxious, or otherwise emotionally dysregulated, our bodies release a surge of the stress hormone cortisol. Cortisol is designed to give us a quick burst of energy to help us deal with the perceived threat, but it also has the side effect of increasing our appetite and cravings for high-fat, high-sugar foods⁴⁵. Yes, you can put emotional eating and stress eating in the same bucket. Negative emotions are typically perceived as stress.

Our ancestors had to rely on a quick surge of energy, when faced with danger. Our body doesn’t make a difference between a dangerous tiger or an over-demanding boss. It screams fight or flight – I need energy. Therefore, your body craves high calorie foods that supply lots of energy.

This is because our brains see these calorie-dense foods as a way to quickly replenish the energy that’s been depleted by the stress response. Even though we didn’t have to fight or run away. In modern days, the opposite is more likely: we are stuck in one place, when a stressful situation emerges. And since our bodies are wired to seek out pleasurable experiences, the dopamine and serotonin release that comes with eating these “comfort foods” can provide a temporary mood boost. Yes, chocolate can make us happy⁶, by increasing serotonin levels. Unfortunately, this doesn’t last long. And beware, the comfort food we “inhale” in these situations is typically way above our nutritional needs.

However, the effects of emotional eating are short-lived, and before long, we end up feeling even worse than we did before – both physically and emotionally. That’s because the sugar crash and feelings of guilt and shame that often accompany emotional eating can actually exacerbate our negative emotions, setting off a vicious cycle. And I am not even talking about your expanding waistline, another source of stress and negative feelings.

Emotional Eating and Menopause

As if the emotional rollercoaster of menopause wasn’t enough, research shows that hormonal changes during this stage of life can also contribute to increased emotional eating⁷.

For example, the drop in estrogen levels that occurs during menopause can lead to mood swings, irritability, and increased anxiety – all of which can trigger emotional eating episodes. Additionally, the fluctuations in progesterone and testosterone can also impact our appetite and cravings, making us more susceptible to reaching for comfort foods. These are the well-known hormones. But did you know that also your hunger hormones or hormones impacting hunger and satiety (ghrelin and leptin) are impacted? Yes, and unfortunately, ghrelin, the hunger hormone is working overtime. Especially when you are suffering from hot flushes and have trouble sleeping, ghrelin tells you to eat – even if your nutritional needs were met before bedtime and your body needs sleep⁸.

Just in case you have missed my articles about hormonal changes and what they do to our bodies, have a quick read: “Menopause Mysteries – hormones and weight gain”.

And let’s not forget about the physical changes that come with menopause, such as weight gain, hot flashes, and sleep disturbances. These symptoms can further exacerbate our emotional state, leading us to turn to food as a coping mechanism. This starts a vicious cycle: consuming too much comfort food results in more weight gain, and our bodies seem to store those extra calories faster than you can say ‘chocolate chip cookie’.

You might shake your head right now and I don’t blame you. Yes, these are real physical changes. But they are also taking a huge toll on your self-esteem. Well, they did play havoc with my well-being, when I was in that phase of menopause. Especially the expanding waistline is an extremely strong motivator for woman to contact me and seek help. If you know my history, you will understand, why these women have my full sympathy. But to be honest: if we wouldn’t gain weight, emotional eating might not be a huge problem. Just expensive….

It’s a perfect storm, really – a complex interplay of hormonal, psychological, and physiological factors that can make emotional eating feel like an inevitable part of the menopausal experience. But the good news is, there are strategies we can use to break the cycle and develop a healthier relationship with food. Today, I want to give you a short summary, but you might also want to check out my course: “Overcoming Emotional Eating @50plus”.

Myths About Emotional Eating

Before we dive into those strategies, let’s take a moment to debunk some of the common myths and misconceptions around emotional eating:

Myth #1: Emotional eating is a sign of weakness or lack of willpower

In reality, emotional eating is a very normal and common coping mechanism that many people – especially women going through major life transitions like menopause – use to manage their emotions. It’s not a character flaw, it’s a survival instinct.

Myth #2: Emotional eating is always unhealthy

While emotional eating can certainly have negative consequences, it’s not inherently “bad.” In fact, research shows that using food to soothe our emotions is a perfectly valid coping strategy, as long as it’s done in moderation and doesn’t become the primary way we deal with our feelings⁹.

Myth #3: Emotional eaters are always overweight or obese

This is simply not true. Emotional eating can manifest in a variety of ways, including restrictive eating, binge eating, and everything in between. Someone can be at a “healthy” weight and still struggle with emotional eating.

Myth #4: Emotional eating is a lifelong, incurable condition

While emotional eating can be a difficult habit to break, it’s absolutely possible to develop a healthier, more balanced relationship with food. With the right strategies and support, many people can overcome emotional eating for good. This was the motivation for me to put together my self-paced course. As I wrote before, with my history of anorexia nervosa as a teenager and decade-long issues with food, I have learned to cope and to use healthy strategies to cope with emotions.

The key is to approach it with self-compassion and an understanding that it’s a very normal, human response to the challenges we face – not a personal failing or character flaw. Armed with that knowledge, we can start to make positive changes and reclaim our power over our relationship with food.

Strategies for Overcoming Emotional Eating

Okay, now that we’ve got the basics down, let’s talk about some practical strategies for overcoming emotional eating:

Identify your triggers

Take some time to reflect on the situations, emotions, or events that tend to trigger your emotional eating episodes. Is it stress at work? Anxiety about your health? Loneliness? Boredom? Once you’ve identified your triggers, you can start to develop more constructive ways of coping with them.

Practice mindful eating

When you find yourself reaching for food in response to an emotion, pause and take a few deep breaths. Ask yourself if you’re truly hungry, or if you’re just trying to numb out or distract from what you’re feeling. Then, try to eat slowly and with intention, really savouring the flavours and textures of your food.

Find alternative coping mechanisms

Instead of turning to food, experiment with other ways to soothe and comfort yourself, such as taking a warm bath, going for a walk, calling a friend, or practicing a relaxation technique like meditation or deep breathing.

Be kind to yourself

Emotional eating is a very normal and common behavior, especially during major life transitions like menopause. If you do slip up, don’t beat yourself up about it. Acknowledge what happened, then gently refocus your attention on more constructive coping strategies.

Seek support

Whether it’s joining a support group, working with a therapist or registered dietitian, or simply confiding in a trusted friend or family member, having a support system can make a big difference in overcoming emotional eating.

Remember, the goal isn’t to eliminate emotional eating entirely – that’s simply not realistic. The key is to develop a more balanced, mindful relationship with food, so that it’s not the primary way you cope with your emotions. With time, patience, and self-compassion, you can absolutely break the cycle of emotional eating and start to feel more in control of your relationship with food.

Conclusion

Emotional eating is a very normal and common coping mechanism, especially for women navigating the ups and downs of menopause. Or any other time with hormonal fluctuations. While it may provide temporary relief, it ultimately does nothing to address the root cause of our emotional distress.

But the good news is, there are strategies we can use to break the cycle and develop a healthier, more balanced relationship with food. By identifying our triggers, practicing mindful eating, finding alternative coping mechanisms, and seeking support, we can reclaim our power over our emotions and our bodies.

So, if you find yourself reaching for the ice cream every time, you’re feeling stressed, anxious, or down, know that you’re not alone. With a little self-compassion and a willingness to try new approaches, you can absolutely overcome emotional eating and start to feel more in control of your relationship with food. I invite you to explore my course, “Overcoming Emotional Eating @50plus.” Here, you’ll discover a structured and proven method to overcome unhealthy eating habits and rediscover the joy of enjoying good food with friends and loved ones.

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