Emotional Eating: Why It Feels Like Comfort (But Isn’t)
Stress. Disappointment. Worry. We all face moments when life feels overwhelming. For years, when emotions ran high, I turned to food for comfort. It felt so soothing in the moment… but it never lasted long.
Eventually, something began to shift. I started to notice the bigger picture of what was going on. I began paying close attention to how long the comfort lasted and realized how fleeting it was—and how it made me feel much worse in the end.
What Finally Changed?
It wasn’t extra willpower or a strict eating plan I came across. It was a mindset shift: I stopped believing food could fix my emotions and started understanding how it actually affected me.
My Wake-Up Call
I remember one night vividly. After a long, stressful day, I found myself reaching for a pint of ice cream. I told myself I was just going to have a few bites, but before I knew it, I had polished off the whole container.
The second it was gone, the comfort disappeared. Within minutes, the stress I was trying to escape came rushing back—along with a sugar buzz, bloating, poor sleep, and frustration with myself.
It was a pattern I’d repeated for years:
A few minutes of intense satisfaction, driven by a dopamine rush.
Followed by hours of physical discomfort, emotional regret, and mental exhaustion.
One day, I finally did the math:
10 minutes of “comfort.”
10 hours of discomfort.
10 years of feeling stuck in a cycle that hurt my health and happiness.
That’s when it hit me hard: “Comfort eating” isn’t comforting at all. It’s actually discomfort in disguise.
Why Emotional Eating Feels So Powerful
Then I did the research and took a closer look at what is happening in your brain during emotional eating:
When you eat foods high in sugar, fat, or salt, your brain releases a flood of dopamine—the “feel-good” chemical.
This creates a temporary high, which is why that first bite feels magical.
But the effect is short-lived. As quickly as it rises, dopamine drops and cravings intensify, leading you to eat more in an attempt to recapture that initial high.
The problem is, the emotional or environmental trigger that pushed you to eat in the first place hasn’t disappeared. Instead, it’s now accompanied by physical discomfort, like bloating or fatigue, and mental frustration.
Shifting the Story
Once I saw the bigger picture, my habits began to shift. Instead of asking, “What will make me feel better right now?” I started asking:
“How will this choice make me feel later?”
“Is this going to truly comfort me—or just create more discomfort?”
This small pause created room for better decisions. Instead of diving into emotional eating, I looked for options that provided real, lasting comfort.
What Worked for Me
I began replacing my go-to “comfort foods” with nourishing alternatives that offered a steady flow of energy and dopamine—without the crash:
A bowl of Greek yogurt with berries and nuts
An apple with peanut butter
A square of 85% dark chocolate with pistachios
These foods gave me some pleasure, but they didn’t leave me feeling worse later.
When I wasn’t physically hungry, I learned to soothe myself in other ways:
Taking a walk to clear my mind
Calling a friend to talk through my emotions
Cleaning my home to create a sense of calm
Reading a book to unwind
These habits didn’t just distract me—they helped me address the emotions I was feeling, rather than numbing them.
Why This Matters
If you believe food is truly helping, your brain will keep reaching for it—even when it’s hurting you in the long run. But when you zoom out and see the full picture, you can interrupt the cycle.
This shift doesn’t happen overnight. It takes practice, reflection, and a willingness to step outside your comfort zone. But when you do, you’ll discover a new sense of control and freedom—one where food no longer has the power to dictate your emotions or derail your goals.
Ready to Break Free?
If emotional eating feels like an endless battle, you’re not alone. This is exactly what I help my 1:1 clients with every day—teaching them to replace short-term fixes with sustainable habits that support both their mental and physical health.
You don’t have to stay stuck in the cycle. It’s possible to find real comfort—and it starts with a single step. Let’s connect!
