6 Journaling Prompts for After You’ve Eaten Emotionally
Take a deep breath. And another one.
Binges are full of emotions before, during, and after. Food has a way of giving us a sense of calm and numbness, but anyone who has eaten emotionally knows that the intense emotions that lead up to a binge and then the ones that follow after—guilt, shame—can leave you feeling so much worse than before any food was eaten.
Emotional eating is a common coping mechanism that many people use to manage everything from stress, to not getting enough sleep, to depression. While your mind may be telling you there is something shameful about emotional eating, the truth is that it is a sign that you are doing your best to manage everything life throws at you. And sometimes life can be overwhelming or scary or just plain crappy.
So, you’ve binged on all your favourite foods in an attempt to escape your negative feelings. As you slowly come out of the binge mentality and regret begins to blossom, take a moment to pull out your journal and try one or a few of these prompts. Doing so will allow you to process emotions in a healthier way, give you a confidence boost, and provide some insight as to what triggers your emotional eating, so you are better prepared the next time.
- Why do I think I ate emotionally today? Was there a specific event that triggered this reaction from me? (This could be anything from dealing with a tired toddler, to restricting food all day, to a boss yelling at you)
- What was I feeling right before I began to emotionally eat? Think about how it might have felt in your body, maybe a panicked flutter in your throat or a headache about to start.
- How do I feel in my body now? How would I rather be feeling?
- What did I choose to eat to sooth myself and why did I choose those specific things to eat?
- Now that I have eating all the foods that give me comfort, what else might also give me comfort?
- How do I feel about the possibility I might eat emotionally again the future? Then challenge these ideas by reassuring yourself you’ve survived this binge, you can face the next one.
Remember there are no right or wrong answers, just your personal truth and experience.
💛 Your peace awaits.
