The 7 Biggest Triggers of Overeating (And What to Do About Them)

Here’s something I’ve learned, both personally and from working with women for years:
overeating is almost never about food.

It’s about how we feel, what we’ve been taught, and the ways we’ve learned to cope when life feels too heavy.

And here’s the good news: if overeating isn’t the real problem, it means there’s nothing “wrong” with you. You’re not broken or weak. You’ve simply been using food to meet needs that haven’t been met in other ways.

If you can understand your triggers, you can start making small, compassionate changes that last.

Let’s talk about the seven biggest triggers of overeating I see in the women I coach, and how to begin shifting each one.

1. Emotional Exhaustion

When you’ve been holding it together all day, managing work, family, bills, endless to-do lists, food can feel like the only thing that gives back.

For many women, the evening is the first moment all day when nobody needs them. That quiet relief often gets tied to eating, especially comfort foods that feel like a reward.

What helps: Give yourself permission to rest in ways that don’t involve food. Even 5–10 minutes of deep breathing, a short walk, or lying down with your eyes closed can help your body recharge without automatically reaching for snacks.

2. Restriction and Dieting

If you’ve been “good” all day, skipping breakfast, eating light salads, avoiding carbs, your body will eventually fight back.

That binge you feel ashamed of? It’s not a lack of willpower. It’s biology. Your body is hardwired to protect you from starvation, even if it’s self-imposed.

What helps: Feed yourself regularly with satisfying meals that include carbs, protein, and fats. Consistent nourishment reduces those “I can’t stop” moments later.

3. Stress and Overwhelm

When your nervous system is overloaded, your brain looks for quick ways to bring relief. Food, especially sugary or salty snacks, gives a temporary dopamine hit that can feel like calm.

What helps: Build small “pressure release valves” into your day. This might be taking a few deep breaths before opening your email, stretching after a meeting, or putting your phone down for two minutes to be still.

4. Loneliness

Even when you’re surrounded by people, you can feel disconnected. Food can become the thing that “keeps you company”, it’s always there, always comforting, never judging.

What helps: Reach for human connection when you can. Text a friend, join an interest group, or even talk out loud to yourself. Connection, of any kind, can meet the need food is trying to fill.

5. Boredom or Lack of Purpose

We don’t just crave food, we crave meaning, excitement, and joy. If your days feel like a rinse-and-repeat cycle, food might become the most stimulating part of your day.

What helps: Add in tiny doses of novelty. Listen to a new podcast, try a different walking route, take five minutes to work on a hobby. Small sparks of interest can reduce the pull of food as “entertainment.”

6. Unmet Emotional Needs

If you’re always taking care of others, food can be the only time you get taken care of. Even if it’s just for a moment, eating can feel like “me time.”

What helps: Identify one small way to meet your own needs each day. It might be saying no, delegating a task, or taking a guilt-free pause for yourself.

7. Shame and Guilt from Overeating Itself

This is one of the saddest loops I see. You overeat, feel ashamed, and then eat again to quiet the shame. It’s exhausting, and it’s not your fault.

What helps: Break the shame cycle by speaking to yourself like you would to your best friend. “You were coping. You’re learning. It’s okay.” Compassion creates space for change in a way criticism never can.

The Takeaway

You can’t willpower your way out of overeating. You can learn to listen to what’s really going on underneath it.

When you start meeting your needs, emotional, mental, and physical, food slowly loses its job as your main source of comfort. And that’s when real, lasting change begins.

💛 You’re not broken. You’re human. And you’re learning.

With love,

Your Health Coach, Silke 💖

P.S. Don’t forget to share this with a friend who might find this helpful! 💌

If you enjoyed this article, you will love my 5 Small Changes to Stop Overeating - for women who are tired of overeating, bingeing and finally want peace with food:

Book your FREE 30-minute Clarity Call to uncover what’s driving your binge or overeating, and discover small steps you can take to overcome it.