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Introduction Session ReportDuring the introduction session, you took one of the most important steps towards lifelong weight management - you pinpointed the symptoms of emotional hunger, and you clearly articulated the conflict you’ve been having about losing weight.This report will help you internalize the material you covered so it becomes part of your thinking process. We replay your answers below, along with a short synopsis of the key ideas you covered, and then provide some observational exercises for you.We suggest you print out this report and keep it close by so you can refer to it over the next couple of days. The more work you do now observing yourself, the easier it will be later to make significant changes in the way you relate to food.The When of Weight LossHere is what you said about WHEN you personally struggle with weight loss, and how you sometimes “feel”when you break your diet or don’t practice healthy eating habits.I have trouble practicing healhty eating habits when:

• I feel the urge to stuff myself.
• it feels like my hunger is located in my mouth or head, rather than my stomach.

Insight #1: Emotional Eating Is Quietly Operating in Your LifeCommon Signs of Emotional HungerEmotional Hunger Comes on Fast In almost all cases, emotional hunger comes on suddenly, while physical hunger develops slowly. If your hunger strikes like lightning, you can be almost positive that it’s emotional hunger.Emotional Hunger Demands Satisfaction ImmediatelyEmotional hunger demands food immediately, while physical hunger will wait for food. If you feel that you just need to eat right away, you are probably dealing with emotional hunger. Sometimes, physical hunger demands food immediately, but that’s only after hours and hours of waiting. However, physical hunger is usually willing to wait for food.Emotional Hunger Is Not MindfulAnother difference between physical and emotional hunger involves mindfulness. To satisfy physical hunger, you normally make a deliberate choice about what you consume and you maintain awareness of how much you eat. You notice how much you eat so that you can stop when full. Emotional hunger, in contrast, rarely notices what’s being eaten and if you have emotional hunger, you’ll want more food even after you’re stuffed.Emotional Hunger Is PickyEmotional hunger often demands particular foods in order to be fulfilled. If you’re physically hungry, even carrots will look delicious. If you’re emotionally hungry, however, only cake or ice cream or your particular preferred indulgence will seem appealing.Emotional Hunger Makes You Feel GuiltyEmotional hunger often results in guilt or promises to do better next time. Physical hunger has no guilt attached to it because you know you ate in order to maintain health and energy.Emotional Hunger Makes You Want to BingeThere is almost never a physical need to binge. Even if you haven’t eaten all day, true physical hunger can often be satisfied with limited amounts of food. If you ever feel the urge to binge, emotional hunger is almost certainly the culprit.Emotional Hunger Makes You Want to Be StuffedThe desire to stuff yourself may be emotional hunger at its worst because the desire feels so physical. It really feels like your body is saying “stuff me with food.”In reality, however, the desire to stuff yourself is deeply connected to emotional hunger and usually does not come from physical hunger.Emotional Hunger Involves Strong FeelingsEmotional hunger often results from something emotionally strong or upsetting (boredom or happiness can be as compelling as anger or depression) while physical hunger results from a physiological need. Even if you don’t have many of the normal emotional hunger signs, if you’re struggling with your weight you fight with this one. 

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