There is little doubt that when you lose control of your emotions you can become a habitual overeater.  Researchers have found that you begin to overeat when you experience certain emotions.  What remains unclear at the present time is how much one will overeat when emotions trigger a need for comfort foods, and why some people will tie emotional feelings to the act of overeating while other individuals do not.

Negative emotions are believed to trigger some individuals to turn to foods as a source for the comfort that they cannot otherwise get psychologically.  These foods will be consumed in excessive amounts when an individual has sad emotions, feelings of disappointment, depressive feelings, or when the individual is frightened or even angry.  If a person is anxious, tired, or bored he or she may try to appease his or her feelings with empty calorie foods: foods loaded with sugar, that taste wonderful, but that offer little in the way of nutritional value.  This consumption of food is a physical means of seeking relief from a psychological condition considered painful.

To overcome the issue, one must identify the problem first and realize that they are eating to block the feeling of negative emotions; the foods trigger a psychological numbing effect.  Starting a journal and observing emotions when one eats can be the first step in making this identification.  The journal should be used to note the reason the dieter decides to eat: if the person is not consuming foods due to legitimate hunger, the dieter is prompted to think about what he or she is eating and why.  Once a person can begin to pinpoint eating behaviors triggered by negative emotional feelings and reactions, the dieter can once again begin to take control of the reins and start eating only when hungry, not when he or she is emotionally dissatisfied.

Obesity needs to be conquered to achieve maximum health and fitness.  Finding out what triggers overeating, when combined with homeopathic methods of losing weight, like the use of HCG diet, can help a dieter achieve weight loss goals with greater ease.  It can also lead to a much happier existence.