This week on the Outsmart Overeating Podcast, I discuss an urge to eat when you're not physically hungry and what to do with it when it happens.

In my psychology-based weight loss program, Unstuffed, we refer to this as "mind hunger" and it's rooted in an emotional need not being met.

Once you've come to grips with being an emotional eater, it's important to have a process to begin working through them in a healthy way that doesn't involve stuffing them down with food.

In 17 years of coaching, I've never had a client tell me they're comfortable sitting with their emotions when they surface — their coping mechanism is almost always a distraction; a way to numb or mentally check out through exercise, watching TV, eating, etc.

Because they are unfamiliar with the way the body communicates its needs through emotions, they can feel scary, but they're not. It's the fear of the unknown that makes them uncomfortable.

When we learn to invite emotions into our lives without judgment, we also learn how to make ourselves feel safe and secure.

Emotions are our friends. They aren't always accurate truth tellers, and often don't match the situation that made us feel the way we feel.

This is why observing them without attaching a story or narrative is a life-changing exercise.

Check out this week's episode to learn the four steps that will help you stop eating your feelings today.

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If you're struggling with emotional, binge, or feel out of control around food and you're interested in personalized coaching, apply here.

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If you want to learn how to not-only lose weight, but lose the struggle along side it, you can get started by taking the Weight Loss Psychology Quiz: Discover Your Diet Personality Type