How a bad mood adds extra pounds

We end up storing up negative emotions and, as a result, overeating and gaining weight.

Nutritionist Serhii Antoniuk writes about this in his blog on Facebook.

"In biochemical terms, a bad mood is a decrease in the level of endorphins, hormones that make us feel calm and satisfied with the situation we are in. If the level of these hormones drops, a person looks for an opportunity to replenish it," writes Serhii Antoniuk.

"One way is to eat. Especially fast carbohydrates, such as sugar. After eating a handful of sweets, pleasure substances will appear in our blood. My task as a nutritionist is to show you that this is how we come to eat negative emotions and, as a result, overeat and gain weight.

Attention!

We eat when we are emotionally or psychologically hungry not because we are physically hungry. To meet the physiological needs of the body, we could go another hour or two without eating, but a force is activated that makes us eat.

How can we distinguish physical, proper hunger from the so-called psychological hunger?

Physical hunger is a normal signal from the body that energy reserves have decreased and need to be replenished. It arises from certain sensations in the abdominal cavity: sucking, grumbling, even a pang, and slight nausea. These feelings increase gradually, and at first, they can be easily managed.

Psychological hunger comes on suddenly, with a series of thoughts about delicious food. For example, candy, cakes, fried fatty foods - everyone has their preferences. Normal, physical hunger will require you to just eat, without pronounced preferences. Psychological hunger and negative emotions go hand in hand. The more negativity you receive, the faster emotional hunger sets in, which, unfortunately, ends in overeating, despite the stomach pains from too much food.

Physical hunger comes on average 4 to 5 hours after the last meal. But this is individual. With physical hunger, normal satisfaction comes after eating.

After psychological overeating, there is a pain in the stomach from stretching it and a feeling of shame. And it still doesn't go away, because nothing has changed with the emotions, we just dulled them a little bit with candy, for a while. And then it goes on in a vicious circle. Then it becomes automatic, uncontrollable, both day and night. The result is deplorable: obesity, tired psyche, irritability.

If something like this is happening to you, don't be under the illusion that everything will somehow get better. The sooner you start solving the problem, the better. The main thing is that such problems can be solved. This should be done in combination with psychological correction, a rational nutrition program, and comfortable physical activity."