204. Emotional Eating: How to Navigate Stress and Food
Oct 17, 2025Learn why emotional eating isn’t about willpower—and how one simple pause can change everything.
We all have those nights.
The house is quiet, everyone’s asleep, and you find yourself standing at the pantry, reaching for something—anything—that might take the edge off.
In this episode, Kara shares her personal story of late-night emotional eating, why it happens, and how to use a simple grounding technique to stop turning to food for comfort.
You’ll learn:
✅ Why emotional eating isn’t a lack of discipline
✅ How stress and emotions trigger cravings
✅ The “Pause, Breathe, Decide” grounding tool you can use anywhere
✅ Why comfort and care—not control—are the real solution
✅ How to start replacing guilt with compassion
🎁 Free Resource:
Grab Kara’s free guide “5 Weight Loss Roadblocks (and How to Fix Them)” at www.coachingkara.com/roadblocks
It’s the perfect companion to this episode, showing you how to overcome emotional eating, plateaus, and other common challenges that get in the way of sustainable progress.
Listen on the blog: www.coachingkara.com/blog
Follow Kara on Instagram: @conciergeweightloss.kara
Free Guide: www.coachingkara.com/roadblocks
Categories
All Categories 1 percent rule 20 pound summer challenge 21 day reset 7 types of rest abundance acceptance accountability action affirmations all or nothing all-or-nothing thinking allowance anxiety assess attributes attuned awareness balancing hormones baseline minimums basics belief binge binge recovery bingeing bites bmi body confidence body image body image & mindset body image mindset body response body shame boundaries broken budget bully busy life solutions calm the chaos caring celebrate celebrate wins challenge characteristics cheat day choices clean plate club client win clothes comparison comparison trap compounded meds confidence confused consistency consistency over perfection control cooking cravings cravings & mindful eating cravings control credit criticism dating day one defeated demeaning deprivation diet confusion diet mentality disappointment distraction doable doctor easy eating out tips emotional eating emotional eating solutions emotional responsibility emotions energetic hygiene energy enough evening eating habits example exercise experience-centered external validation failure family fda update fear fear of failure fears feeling the feelings feelings figuring it out first time fixed follow through fomo food and emotions food chatter food freedom food guilt food matching food relationship food waste food-centered freedom series frustration fuel tank fulfillment future game plan gas tank gentle nutrition getting started gift to goal goal goal planner goal setting tips goals good vs bad foods good/better/best gratitude habits habits vs diets handle cravings hard health healthy breakfast tips healthy eater healthy eating healthy eating tips healthy habits healthy relationship with food holiday holiday weight loss how much? human experience 50/50 hunger hunger cues hunger scale hydration & energy i am i don't want to indulgent emotions inspiration intentional weight loss intentions interview jane pilger journal journey judgement just enough justifying kindness lack lack stack last supper learning lifestyle listen manage thoughts manuals me time meal planning meal planning made easy med shortage medical conditions medications menopause mindful mindful eating mindset mindset coaching mindset shifts mistakes momentum money motivation motivation & mindset movement movement motivation my story new year new year goals nightime snacking nighttime eating reset non-diet approach non-scale victories normal eater obstacles one day organization over desire over hunger overcoming food guilt overeating overeating habits overeating solutions overwhelm own your journey pantry organization past pause + permission people manipulator people pleaser perfection personal personal progress pie pivot plan planner plateaus present priority procrastinating procrastination program & general questions protocols pseudo permission purpose questions quick start redefining success reinvention relationships relief resilience resolution alternatives resolutions responsive vs reactive restaurant strategies restriction revisit finish course roadblocks to weight loss routine ruminate sabotage sabotaging thoughts sandwich generation save me saying no scale self accountability self blame self care self compassion self love self sabotage self talk self validation self worth self-confiedence self-identity self-sabotage self-worth without weight loss shame simple simple nutrition tips sit with feelings sleep small steps sneak peak social eating tips special events special guest stop overeating stop quitting stop starting over stopsabotaging stress style summer body confidence summer readiness summer weight loss tips summer wellness super hero support sustainable sustainable eating habits sustainable habits sustainable lifestyle sustainable weight loss sustainablehabits thought model thought models thoughts time time management to or for you transformation travel & vacations trying uncertainty unconditional understanding urges value waiting water weekend weekends weigh in weigh loss mindset weight loss weight loss habits weight loss hacks weight loss medication weight loss mindset weight loss motivation weight loss plateaus weight loss stall weight loss tips weightlossmindset women's health word of the year work place weight loss worth worth it yo yo dieting