What are Carolyn Scott's signature techniques for overcoming emotional eating?

Hi! I’m Carolyn Scott-Hamilton. When it comes to emotional eating, a few core techniques show up again and again in my work and on The Healthy Voyager:

1. Name the feeling, not the food
   Pause and ask, “Am I physically hungry, or am I stressed, sad, bored, or lonely?” Separating hunger from emotion (and appetite) breaks the automatic “feel → eat” loop.

2. Own the craving instead of fighting it
   Like Laurie Erdman shares, notice when a craving is about stress or “I deserve this.” When you call it out (“This is work stress, not hunger”), the craving usually loses power.

3. Check for real needs: water, nutrients, rest
   Often it is dehydration, fatigue, or a nutrient gap (like magnesium, not “chocolate”) masquerading as a craving. Drink water first, add whole plant foods, and see if the urge softens.

4. Build “healthy comfort” options
   Have go‑to soothing behaviors that are not food: a walk, dance break, calling a friend, journaling, or a hot shower. If you still want something sweet, choose fruit or naturally sweet veggies so you honor the feeling without abandoning your goals.

5. Think your way through the moment, not against it
   Instead of “I blew it,” use slips as data: What was I feeling? What could I try next time? That mindset shift keeps one emotional-eating episode from turning into a spiral.

Would you like a simple step-by-step script you can use in the exact moment a craving hits?