If you’re overweight, it’s important to understand why you eat, not just what you eat, because a majority of overeating is rooted in emotion.

Food may offer comfort when you feel sad, bored, lonely or frustrated.

Perhaps you give in to situational eating like buttered popcorn every time you go to the movies, or cake at a birthday party even if you don’t want it.

Nutritionists say that people often think they’re hungry when their body is really signaling thirst, so reach for water before food.

New studies are looking at the relationship between hormones and cravings for fat and sugar, trying to find a chemical reason why saturated fat seems to fend off negative emotions… or why you reach for ice cream, pizza or chocolate when you’re feeling down or crazed.

A chemical connection can help explain why it’s so difficult to eat healthy in a world full of stress.

Most experts agree that it’s normal and healthy to indulge guilt-free in an occasional binge of high-fat or sugary comfort food, as long as you are able to get back on track afterward.

Keeping healthy fruits on hand and in sight helps you make nutritious choices, as well as finding non-food-related ways to comfort and reward yourself.