Does it really make you feel better to down that pint of ice cream? What is it that compels some of us to try to eat our miseries away? After all, nine times out of ten, we end up feeling guilty later.

While many of us eat, not because we’re especially hungry, but because we’re out with friends, or like the looks of that big, juicy steak, or we just can’t resist Mom’s cheesecake, many of us also lose control over our willpower and our ability to say ‘No’. So whether you’re eating when you’re not hungry because you want the companionship, or because you’re unhappy, anxious or afraid, the first step toward overcoming emotional eating is to determine its source.

Many people go beyond the occasional “comfort food” binges and become addicted to certain types of food. Gotta have a pizza with the works after a particularly bad day at work, or gobble down that package of cookies after an argument with your husband or wife? Ever wonder why the foods we ultimately reach for are bad for us? They’re the ones loaded with sugar, carbs, and fat.

When we’re upset, how many of us jump in the car and zoom off to a fast food restaurant to drown our woes in greasy burgers and fries, topped off with a milkshake no less?

Most of us don’t eat only when we’re hungry anymore. We eat because the clock tells us to, or because food is ever present in our society. When we’re upset, it’s easy to find a place that’s open, willing and able to cater to our food desires.

So how do you put a stop to emotional eating? The next time you’re upset, and before you reach for the pint of ice cream or super-size those fries, think about the guilt you’re going to feel later on.

Don’t give in to the craving, or to the emotion that drove you to food in the first place. If you’re angry with your husband, don’t punish yourself. If you’re frustrated with your boss, don’t take it out on your body. Find a healthier outlet for anger and frustration.

Here are a few things you can do the next time you get upset.

Wait five minutes. That’s easy enough, isn’t it? Many times, just the act of waiting is enough to overcome our desire to binge on sugars, carbs and fat.

Think about your long-term health. After all, when you succumb to binge eating, you’re only punishing yourself.

Find different foods to reach for when you’re upset. You can get  pleasure out of chomping a carrot in two (and it sounds very satisfying as well).

Break the cycle by finding something to substitute your particular comfort food. It sounds boring, but try shadow boxing, or punching your pillow instead of reaching for that chocolate bar. Do ten jumping jacks or take a quick walk.

Get your mind off food. It’s not the answer to what ails you.

Emotional eating is a bad habit, no doubt about it. It’s also a very powerful habit. Many of us think that if we can’t indulge when we’re upset, we’re somehow sacrificing pleasure and comfort. However, the long-term results of such attitudes leave most of us overweight, miserable and quite discontent.

Find positive, healthy ways to fight your emotions and learn new habits. Sure, it’s going to be difficult and oftentimes frustrating, but you’ll soon begin to feel much better.

Take it one day at a time. Expect to fail once in a while and when you do, don’t beat yourself up over it. Just get back on track. Pretty soon, you’ll be amazed at the changes you feel inside and see outside.

In the last thirty years, the average caloric intake of most Americans has increased by between 150 and 300 per day. It is also true to say that the average American does not “trade” those calories for cardiovascular activities, and thus those calories are not serving any real purpose other than adding to the national obesity statistics.

Rather than take a holistic nutrition approach, we often opt to take the shortcut and go for foods that we know will give us a little “buzz” of activity, thus assuring ourselves that these particular types of food must be good for us. Little could be further from the truth, however and it’s no surprise that the American Heart Association has now set specific limits on the amount of sugar that they suggest we eat or drink per day.

The amount of fructose in our diet, which is widely used in processed foods, has more than doubled since the 1970s. It is estimated that we consume on average more than 22 teaspoons of sugar every day, with young people taking in considerably more, no doubt due to their penchant for those cans of soda drinks. It is apparent that sugar is a precursor to over eating, as its effect on the brain can trigger the body into thinking that it is undernourished and needs more food.

A restricted sugar diet should be part of holistic health solutions considered by everyone individually. It should not be necessary for politicians to suggest additional legislation to discourage us, as is being considered by the city of San Francisco for example, in the form of a “soda tax.”

Being overweight can contribute to many different health conditions and can place considerable strain on your heart and most of the major organs. Obesity is a national epidemic in the US, probably more so than in any other country in the world. It is also linked to a lack of productivity, depression and other illnesses.

The number one thing consumers should do to create a path toward a healthier existence is to start reading food labels. Be particularly careful when it comes to the amount of sugar added to processed foods and always pay attention to portion size. This can be very misleading and almost invariably, the size of the portion of food that ends up on your plate is much larger than the referenced portion size on the label!

Take an individual stance and cut back, as the national sugar addiction appears to be getting worse as each year goes by.