Ever wonder why you keep eating when you're not actually hungry? 

The battle between emotions and rational decisions plays out most visibly in our eating habits, causing you to go "off track" (and sometimes way "off the rails"). Sound familiar?

Today's episode explores emotional eating through a completely different lens... using data and structure to identify patterns and solutions so you can stop flying blind and finally conquer emotional eating.

You'll discover why tracking certain metrics reveals surprises about your eating behaviors, how meal timing dramatically affects your psychological relationship with food, and tips to bridge the gap between analytical approaches and emotional intelligence.

Main Takeaways:

• Understanding patterns through tracking creates awareness without becoming obsessive
• Strategic meal timing and composition significantly influences emotional eating behaviors
• The powerful "if-then" approach creates a framework for managing challenging food situations
• Consistency in eating patterns helps your body develop safety signals that reduce stress eating
• Creating a balance between structure and flexibility is key to sustainable habits

Episode Links:

• Follow the Don't Call Me Skinny podcast for more great content from Sarah Krieger
• Listen to the companion episode about the psychological side of emotional eating: The Hidden Triggers Making You Overeat Without Realizing It

Timestamps:

0:01 - Emotional eating through a data lens
8:36 - Using data without becoming obsessive
15:43 - What to do based on your data
23:36 - Powerful "if-then" strategies when life trips you up
27:08 - Meal timing -> emotional eating patterns
31:11 - Macros for managing hunger
36:32 - Hunger vs. cravings
42:11 - The solution after years of dieting

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