Emotional eating is a pattern of eating where people use food to help them deal with stress, boredom, or other feelings unrelated to hunger. When emotional eating happens frequently or becomes the main way a person deals with their emotions, their health and happiness can be negatively affected. Emotional eating, along with mindless eating – a lack of awareness of the food we're consuming – may be contributing to the national obesity epidemic and other health issues.
One way to combat emotional eating is by switching to a mindful, or intuitive, eating perspective. It can be easy to mistake emotional hunger for physical hunger, so it is important to listen to your body’s natural hunger and satiety signals. Essentially, mindful eating is a process of honoring health by listening and responding to the direct messages of the body in order to meet your physical and psychological needs. If you suspect that a craving may be the result of stress, then ask yourself, are you truly hungry? It may be helpful to wait a few minutes before eating, drink a glass of water, or take a walk first. To learn more about eating and emotions, join Employee Wellness for webinars this month on emotional vs. intuitive eating and food addiction.
Another way to manage stress and other feelings that may lead to emotional eating is through physical activity. Exercising regularly can have a positive effect on your mood, and in turn, your eating patterns. Virtually any form of exercise, from aerobics to yoga to gardening, can act as a stress reliever. Physical activity has a unique capacity to exhilarate and relax, to provide stimulation and calm, to counter depression and dissipate stress. You will find that in addition to nutrition-related offerings, there are several opportunities this month to get outside, move your body, and connect with colleagues. Explore this page to learn more.
May Presentations |
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| Learn strategies for creating and maintaining healthy habits straight from the experts. Browse our May webinars below. These sessions are open to all full and part time employees. For those participating in the wellness rewards program, each session is worth 10 Tier 2 points. | ||
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May 5 12-1 p.m. Webinar |
Emotional vs. Intuitive EatingEating is a natural, everyday activity that we must do to survive, but sometimes we eat when we don't need to. This is particularly true with emotional eating. One way we can prevent ourselves from emotional eating is using the tool called intuitive eating – a practice where we listen to what our bodies need and eat accordingly. Join Natalie Caine-Bish, PhD, RD, LD, Associate Professor, Nutrition and Dietetics, Kent State University, to learn how to shift your thinking from emotional eating to a more intuitive eating perspective. |
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May 10 12-1 p.m. Webinar |
Financial Wellness: Retirement Income StrategiesAfter the global pandemic has disrupted people’s lives, finances are the top cause of employee stress – above job, health, and relationship stress combined. Securian Financial, Kent State’s life insurance provider, wants to empower you with information to help your overall financial picture, both at and outside of work. Join Securian as they help attendees of this webinar understand how to fund their retirement from multiple income sources and how to track successfully toward retirement. |
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May 25 12-1 p.m. Webinar |
Food AddictionIn addition to eating disorders such as binge eating disorder, anorexia, and bulimia, obesity and unhealthy eating are a threat to public health. Join Ria Dark, MS, LSW, SAP, MHFA, RYT, as she defines emotional eating and how to address it. |
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Wellable Resilience Challenge |
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May 9 - June 5, 2022 |
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Life is full of ups and downs, twists and turns, and everyday challenges. The power of resilience can help one navigate positive and negative experiences alike. This challenge is designed to help you discover the many ways resilience benefits physical and emotional health, while encouraging you to move daily and practice five unique resilience exercises to build resilience and well-being. |
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Get Fit Don't Sit |
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On Thursday, May 12, Employee Wellness and Recreational Services will host Get Fit Don’t Sit Day at the blue walking track behind the DeWeese Health Center, featuring an open walk, Poker Walk, and Poker Walk Workout. Since sitting for long periods of time increases the risk of health complications, it is recommended to break up sitting time with a few minutes of light physical activity every 30 minutes. Join your fellow Flashes on May 12 to break up the workday with an afternoon of walking at whichever pace you choose. |
If emotional eating or stress eating is something that you struggle with, a registered dietitian can help you learn about and practice mindful eating, identify emotional triggers, and provide support as you work toward your nutrition goals. Did you know that counseling with a registered dietitian is complimentary for Kent State employees and also eligible for points toward Tier 2 of the wellness rewards program?
Uphill, downhill, through sand, snow, gravel or grass. Adding a variety of different terrain types to your walks can not only add variety to your routine but also allows you to work different muscles and challenge your balance and cardiovascular fitness. Join Beth Michel, Assistant Director, Recreation & Wellness Services, on July 7 to learn about how to safely and effectively take on different types of terrain found on the Kent campus.
Check out an eBike or eScooter through the SPIN program or bring your bike from home for a group ride on July 28. A representative from SPIN will lead the group on a 40-minute ride around the Kent campus and surrounding community.
