Summary: Experts estimate that 75% of overeating is due to emotions. It is a huge barrier to weight loss and a healthy lifestyle.Food can be very comforting. Emotional eating is the desire to eat when you are feeling stressed, anxious, angry, or sad. Experts estimate that 75% of overeating is due to emotions. And, aside from the emotion part of it, this type of eating is a huge barrier to weight loss and a healthy lifestyle. Serotonin (a neurotransmitter found in the human brain) is a substance designed to transmit messages from one nerve cell to another. It relays signals to the brain to regulate how a person feels. Serotonin levels determine your mood and can affect other behaviors such as hunger, sleep, sexual response, anger, depression and anxiety. Low levels of serotonin become even more of a problem when you eat large amounts of refined sugar, starches or carbohydrates. When you have reduced levels of serotonin, this sends a signal to your brain that your body is hungry. Studies have shown a direct link between obesity caused by overeating and low levels of serotonin. People with low levels of serotonin tend to be overweight and feel the need to eat constantly. The more sugar you ingest, the more your pancreas creates insulin. If there's too much insulin and it cannot be used, your body metabolizes it into artery-clogging fat. Since the food you eat affects your serotonin levels, an unhealthy diet can make you more dependent on carbs and sugar to make yourself feel better. It's time to change your habits and re-train your brain! Nutritionist, personal trainer, and health educator, Cynthia Sass, helps you overcome your emotional eating and relearn how to eat... and only when your body is actually hungry.
