Is Emotional Eating Secretly Sabotaging Your Progress?

Ever found yourself halfway through a packet of biscuits wondering, "Wait, am I even hungry?" Yeah. Me too. Usually while watching telly on a Friday night with a cuppa in one hand and a family size dairy milk bar in the other. Comfort, celebration, stress relief—chocolate has been there for it all. Honestly, it’s like a dependable old friend… except sometimes it stitches me right up when I’m trying to squeeze into my tight shorts on a Monday morning.

Sound familiar?

If you’ve ever used food to soothe a feeling rather than a rumble in your tummy, you might be dabbling in the world of emotional eating. It’s something we all do from time to time (yes, even us personal trainers 👋), but when it becomes a regular go to, it can start to impact our health, mindset, and progress in ways we don’t even notice.

So... What Is Emotional Eating?

Emotional eating is when we eat not because we’re physically hungry, but because we’re trying to cope with a feeling. That feeling might be stress, boredom, sadness, loneliness—or even happiness and celebration. (Chocolate after a good week? You bet.)

It’s like your brain is saying, "Hey, I don’t know what to do with this emotion, but I do know where the biscuits are..."

Who Does It Affect?

Short answer? Pretty much everyone at some point.

Long answer? Emotional eating can affect anyone, regardless of age, gender, fitness level, or background. It’s especially common during periods of high stress, low mood, hormonal shifts, or life changes. And for a lot of us, eating has always been tied to emotions - we’re raised that way. Think birthday cakes, comfort food when you’re ill, or being told you’re “good” if you finish your dinner.

(Also: weekends. Why are weekends always so snacky?!)

Signs You Might Be Emotionally Eating

Here are a few clues that your hunger might not be coming from your stomach:

• You eat when you're not physically hungry

• You crave very specific “comfort” foods (hello, cadburys…)

• You eat to cope with emotions like stress, anxiety, sadness, or boredom

• You often feel guilt, regret, or shame after eating

• You find it hard to stop eating once you've started—even when you're full

• You notice a pattern of eating more during certain emotional states or times of the day/week (like Sunday night dread or Friday night ‘I deserve this’)

If you’re nodding along thinking, "Yup, that’s me..."—you’re not alone, and you’re not broken. You’re human.

What Can You Do About It?

Awareness is the first big step. Just recognising the pattern (like I’ve done with my weekend choc binges) can be a huge help in shifting your response. Instead of diving straight into the snack cupboard, you can pause, check in, and ask:"What do I really need right now?"

Sometimes it is a snack. But other times, it might be a walk, a chat, a nap, or a cry, and if emotional eating is something that’s regularly impacting your physical or mental health, please know there’s no shame in getting support. Speaking to a coach, therapist, or registered nutritionist can be a total game changer.

Want to Dig Deeper?

We go right in on this topic in our latest podcast episode of The Voice of Fitness Reason: 🎧 Listen now: Is Emotional Eating Impacting Your Progress? where Katie and I discuss our own experiences, red flags to watch for, and some gentle ways to build a healthier relationship with food - without shame, strict rules, or giving up your favourite snacks...

If you wanna dive even further check out my interview with Gill Harvey-Bush, an expert in behaviour coaching - recorded a few years back (long before my grey hairs started poking out lol)

So whether you’re just curious, struggling in silence, or simply want to feel a bit more in control around food, give it a listen. And remember, it’s never about being perfect. It’s about learning what works for you—and maybe having a little less guilt with your Galaxy bar.

You’ve got this 💪🍫

FRANK

your Personal Trainer / Self confessed chocaholic