迪士尼樂園的觀光船不勝負荷，船身深深往下沉至水底，乘客都要被淹沒了，因此要暫停兩年來進行復修。成因？船公司在造船時當然有精心計算過船隻的負重量，不過近5年，美國人的平均體重多了20至30磅，這是造船公司及迪士尼樂園所料不及的。

　　不只是美國人，這一代人較上一代人肥胖及重，原因有很多：收入增多、進食更多加工食物、有更多的社交生活，最主要的原因是我們會把食物當作享樂抒壓的良品。這種情緒性飲食是受情緒波動影響而不是因為感到肚餓而進食，並會吃過量的食物，當中以垃圾食物居多。孤獨感、緊張、無聊、感情上的問題、工作壓力、失望、長期的憤怨、過低的自我形象、抑鬱等等都是情緒性飲食的常見成因，就如有些人會依賴煙酒藥物抒壓，有些人則以食物來處理情緒的包袱。相對其他方法，禍害或者較小，但過度飲食絕對是禍不是福。

　　要解決情緒性飲食的問題，先要搞清楚問題的根本在於情緒多於飲食。出現情緒性飲食的人不會被食物填飽，進食會為他們帶來一刻的快感，但促使他進食的壞情緒仍徘徊不散。我們經常會為吸取過多的卡路里而有罪惡感，故之後要瘋狂節食，不過通常都是沒有成果的，只有每況愈下。根據香港進食失調中心的資料，嘗試過節食的人出現飲食失調的情況較常人多5至8倍。不受控，即踏入暴食症大吃大喝的惡性循環，又或是患上厭食症。

　　在惡夢來襲之前，先要找出造成飲食失調的成因。以下幾個情況最常驅使我們暴飲暴食。

　1. 生理－不定時飲食或省去正餐而產生強烈飢餓感

　2. 社交－經常去派對、出席宴會、吃自助餐

　3. 場景－睇戲、路過麵包店

　4. 情緒－失落或憂慮，以進食來填補空虛

　　由簡單的解決方法開始－定時進食並不要跳過正餐。出席宴會時，不要覺得自己有義務吃光奉上的食物。與朋友約會時，要揀可以點菜的餐廳，避免吃自助餐。繞路避過那間香味四溢的麵包店，並在入戲院前含一粒話梅，你自然會避過朱古力、玉米片及爆谷的誘惑了。

　　第二步是建立另一個習慣來取代暴食的習慣。嘗試多閱讀、聽音樂、種盆栽、散步、浸泡泡浴、約朋友、洗車、試新的唇色，又或試穿一條新裙子，情況再好一點可以做些伸展運動或學習瑜伽。嘗試令自己分心一陣子，打消想吃的念頭。如果你可以控制自己的慾望，延遲10分鐘才吃，便可漸漸控制自己的飲食了；假如控制慾望對你而言非常困難，準備些蘿蔔及芹菜條在雪櫃中備用，想吃東西時帶來逐少逐少的吃。今天的努力可為你避過明天的困境。

　　最後一步，將困擾你的事情一一在紙上列出來。站後一步，用更廣闊的視野看自身的處境，為控制現況好好計劃。那管自己未能完全解決問題，都要努力去想，去嘗試找出一個緩和問題的辨法。如果你所面對的情況是無法改變的，不要再以舊有的方式去回應問題了，想一個全新的、截然不同的方法去應對。

　　（按：中文內容乃翻譯及撮寫版本）

Emotional Eating

　　The boat ride in Disneyland was shut down for two years for total reconstruction because the boats were sinking too deep below the water level,  and all the riders were getting inundated.  Why ? When the boats were first built, they were meticulously calculated to carry the load, but an average American has since gained 20-30 pounds within the last five years, something neither the boat builder nor Disney had anticipated…

　　The world’s present generation is getting fatter and heavier than the last, and not only the Americans . There are many reasons why people gain weight -  higher disposal income, more processed food, we socialize more and above all, we tend to use food as a means to express both our joy and our sorrow.  Emotional eating  is the excessive consumption of food (often junk foods) in response to feelings and not to hunger. The common triggers include loneliness, stress, boredom, problems with personal relationships, work pressure, disappointment, chronic anger, poor self esteem,  or depression… Just as some people may turn to cigarettes, alcohol or drugs,  some people use food to vent emotional baggage.  Perhaps the lesser of all evils -  but an evil nevertheless. 

　　The solution to emotional eating is less about eating than it is about emotions. Emotional hunger cannot be filled with food. Eating may bring in a temporary “feel good” moment, but the feelings that triggered the eating are still there. Often, you would feel worse afterwards because of the unnecessary calories you have consumed. The next step would be a vigorous regime of dieting, usually to no avail, and the downward spiral has thus begun. According to HEDA ( Hong Kong Eating Disorder Association), people who have tried dieting repeatedly have 5-8 times higher risks of becoming affected by eating disorders. Unmanaged, this is  where bulimia’s destructive cycle of bingeing and purging begins… or of equal horror, that of anorexia nervosa.

　　Before the nightmarish odyssey even begins, it would be wise to start by identifying eating triggers. Situations that trigger us to eat excessively include :

　1. Physiological –  intense hunger due to irregular or missing meals …

　2. Social – frequent parties, banquets,  buffets …

　3. Situational – Watching a movie, passing a bakery…

　4. Emotional – upset or worried, eating to fill the void…

　　Begin with simple solutions: eat regularly and do not skip meals. When attending banquets, do not feel obligated to eat everything that is being served. When going out with friends, avoid buffet and choose a la carte.  Cross the street to avoid a tempting bakery, and put a sour plum in your mouth before going into the movies so you won’t be eating chocolates, nachos or popcorn.

　　Developing alternatives to eating would be the second step. Try reading, listening to music, watering your plants, go for a walk, take a bubble bath,  call a friend, wash a car, try on a new lipstick or a new dress… Or better still, do some stretching exercises or practice yoga. Try distracting yourself from the thought of eating for a little while. If you manage to delay the urge to eat for ten minutes, chances are it will pass. If you find yourself to be extremely tenacious with your urge, prepare carrot and celery sticks and put them in the fridge for yourself to grab and nibble. Make the effort today to prevent more serious problems tomorrow.

　　Last but not least,  write out a list of what really has been stressing you. Step back, take a look at the big picture, and make a plan to take control of the situation. Think hard and try to come up with tactical ways to mitigate the problem even if you cannot solve it completely. If it is indeed a situation you really cannot change, think of a new and different way you can react to the situation rather than the way you have always been reacting in the past.