How to disrupt emotional eating in just five minutes

Weekly technique

By Weight Watchers

Published 17 August 2023

How to disrupt emotional eating in just five minutes

Tend to eat when stressed, bummed out, or mad? It’s normal! And you can change it. Pay attention the next time the urge strikes, then follow these steps.

Try this!

Set a timer for five minutes. Do whatever you like, just commit to waiting before you decide to reach for food. Next, check in with yourself. When the timer goes off, notice how you feel. No longer want to eat? Cool, carry on with your day. Still have the urge? Could you do something else to manage your emotions, like taking a walk or calling a friend? Yup, I think it will work! Cool, carry on with your day. No, I don’t think so. It’s OK—grab that snack. Now, reflect on what you learned. Did the urge to eat change as time passed? Is there another solution you could try to manage your emotions next time?

Let’s dive a little deeper…

Maybe you snack on chips when stressed. Or, ice cream is your go-to when feeling blue. Whatever you reach for, emotional eating is incredibly common and, for many, a habit like any other. You respond to a feeling by eating and, over time, it becomes automatic—just something you do without thinking.

So, to break the habit, give yourself time to think. That’s what waiting a few minutes does. It deactivates autopilot so you can consider your options and respond to an emotion more intentionally, whether you scroll TikTok, water your plants, or, yes, even eat.

In other words, you may still decide to snack when the timer goes off—it’s OK. Make your initial goal to simply be more aware of an unhelpful habit. That’s the first step to eventually replacing it with one that supports your goals and an important skill on this journey.