Are You an Emotional Overeater?

Are You an Emotional Overeater?

By Andrea Metcalf, Author of Naked Fitness: The Proven 28 Day Lifestyle Program for a Slimmer, Fitter, Pain Free Body

Take this short quiz to find out!

I turn to food when I’m sad, disappointed, or lonely. Yes ___ No ___

I often eat past the point of fullness. Yes ___ No ___

When I’m upset, I crave sweets or salty snack foods. Yes ___ No ___

When I go to parties or dine out with friends, I tend to overeat. Yes ___ No ___

If I eat too much, I feel guilty afterwards. Yes ___ No ___

I eat more than I should when I’m home alone or bored. Yes ___ No ___

My moods have the biggest influence on when and how I eat. Yes ___ No ___

I like to nurture family and friends with food. Yes ___ No ___

I think about food a lot. Yes ___ No ___

I am unhappy with my weight, but I overeat anyway. Yes ___ No ___

Eating is my favorite activity. Yes ___ No ___

I tend to clean my plate; I don’t like to waste food. Yes ___ No ___

I binge habitually. Yes ___ No ___

The large amount of food I eat embarrasses me. Yes ___ No ___

Sugary foods tend to calm me down. Yes ___ No ___

SCORING

Count up your yes and your no answers.

If you answered yes to eight or more questions:

Your feelings of anger, frustration, loneliness, sadness, boredom, or even happiness might be causing you to overeat. And you are probably an emotional overeater. You may be eating too much or eating chaotically, but what you are really feeding is something in your life: relationship problems, broken dreams, financial worries, or problems at work. Try the strategies in this chapter, but don’t be afraid to seek professional help.

If you answered yes to four to seven questions:

You may be struggling with some emotions from time to time. You are a borderline emotional overeater. At this point, it will be easier to get your eating habits under control by applying some of the strategies in this chapter.

If you circled three or fewer yeses:

You probably aren’t an emotional overeater. You may occasionally use food to cope, but for the most part, it doesn’t interfere with your ability to manage your weight.

The above is an excerpt from the book Naked Fitness: The Proven 28 Day Lifestyle Program for a Slimmer, Fitter, Pain Free Body by Andrea Metcalf. The above excerpt is a digitally scanned reproduction of text from print. Although this excerpt has been proofread, occasional errors may appear due to the scanning process. Please refer to the finished book for accuracy.

© 2010 Andrea Metcalf, author of Naked Fitness: The Proven 28 Days Lifestyle Program for a Slimmer, Fitter, Pain Free Body.