It's a comfort thing It started in babyhood, of course. All babies find comfort in their bottle, but some of us have a challenge getting past that point. That's why, when I was in school, I'd have the hardest time managing weight during the academic year. Snacks became a way of dealing with pressure. I usually managed to lose a few pounds during the summer, when the weight of studies came off my shoulders.
Food is a thought substitute.
Had I been the stereotypical hard-drinking journalist of yore, the candy would have been displaced by a gin and tonic at the local watering hole. The purpose would have been the same, though. Once I found the motivation to go at the diet thing again, I knew that behavior would have to stop. And I know, basically, what I should eat, and how much, if I want to get results. The exercise part of this equation is helping enormously with the stress relief.