When you reach for chocolates, snack foods or other “comfort” foods, it’s often because you’re stressed, depressed, or bored. When you eat in response to social cues – such as having lunch or dinner when you’re not hungry – or when you eat unconsciously, you’re not really tuned in to your nutritional needs or your body’s signals of hunger and satiety. To successfully control your weight, you have to pay attention to what you eat – both quality and quantity – and carve out the time to think about your nutritional needs and prepare healthy meals.

via What Really Makes You Fat – Dr Weil’s Daily Health Tips – Natural Health Information Blog.

Nothing earth shaking here – we all know that many of us eat because are filling a void or making ourselves feel better. It’s a country wide epidemic really. But I know that Chocolate really does make me feel better – even if it’s for a brief fleeting moment. 10 chocolates – not so much. Everything in moderation is the key.

Emotional eating isn’t the only thing that is creating and perpetuating this problem.  Life style factors, location, stress, lack of sleep… all can contribute to being “fat”.  And it is true that you have to constantly be aware of what you are eating in order to have any sort of control over it. Sucks doesn’t it?  Never being able to let your guard down. There is yet another great reason to make your own food. You can have complete control over what you create and serve to your family.