Emotional eating isn’t about weakness, it’s about wiring.

In this episode “The Physiology & Psychology of Emotional Eating” of the How to Fitness Podcast, we’re unpacking why stress makes some people overeat, while others lose their appetite completely, and why neither response means something is “wrong” with you.

We explore what’s really going on in your brain and body during moments of emotional eating. We break down the science behind cortisol, dopamine, and cravings, how childhood conditioning and diet culture shape your food habits, and what it means to have a “normal” stress response.

We also get into practical, shame-free tools to help you recognise emotional hunger, create buffers between feelings and food, and rebuild a healthier relationship with eating even on the most chaotic days.

If you’ve ever felt out of control around food, judged yourself for eating (or not eating) when stressed, or just want to understand why this keeps happening, this episode will help you feel more in control, less alone, and better equipped.



Resources Mentioned:

Episode 12: Exploring Hyperpalatable Foods & Their Impact [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2171581/episodes/13308774]

Eating Mindfully by Susan Albers [https://amzn.to/4bDUsU8]

Kummerspeck [https://germanyinusa.com/2021/10/19/word-of-the-week-kummerspeck/]

Emotional Eating [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7663318/]

Negative Social Comparisons [[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10525161/#:~:text=Additionally%2C a significant positive correlation,frequent episodes of emotional eating](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10525161/#:~:text=Additionally%2C%20a%20significant%20positive%20correlation,frequent%20episodes%20of%20emotional%20eating)]

Emotional Eating [[https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/weight-loss/in-depth/weight-loss/art-20047342#:~:text=You may turn to food,calorie%2C sweet and fatty foods](https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/weight-loss/in-depth/weight-loss/art-20047342#:~:text=You%20may%20turn%20to%20food,calorie%2C%20sweet%20and%20fatty%20foods)]

Stress and Eating [[https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/2013/eating#:~:text=Thirty-three percent of adults,helps distract them from stress](https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/2013/eating#:~:text=Thirty%2Dthree%20percent%20of%20adults,helps%20distract%20them%20from%20stress).]

Dopamine in Binge Eating [https://jeatdisord.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40337-022-00531-y]

Why Stress Causes People to Overeat [https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/why-stress-causes-people-to-overeat]

Managing Stress Eating [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8J1DpU3JrJY]

Physical vs. Emotional Hunger [https://www.katelymannutrition.com/blog/physical-emotional-hunger]

Allostatic Load [https://karger.com/pps/article-abstract/90/1/11/294736/Allostatic-Load-and-Its-Impact-on-Health-A?redirectedFrom=fulltext]

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🟡 Michael Ulloa
Website: michaelulloa.com
Instagram: @michaelulloapt

🟡 Kate Lyman
Website: katelymannutrition.com
Instagram: @klnutrition

Thank you for listening to the How to: Fitness Podcast with Michael Ulloa and Kate Lyman!