Diet

6 Healthy Swaps for Your Favorite Treats

Eating your feelings in good times more than bad? Reach for these healthier swaps instead of your celebratory treats

3 COMMENTS

PHOTO 0/7

When you hear the term "emotional eater," what do you usually picture? Probably something straight out of a romantic comedy: A sad sap who just went through a bad breakup, blaring depressing music in the background and shoveling heaping spoonfuls of ice cream into her mouth (straight out of the tub). A good friend may come over eventually, equipped with even more junk food, and the "eat your feelings" mentality continues while the rain pours outside.

Surprisingly, a recent study out of the Netherlands proves that we may have it all wrong. Emotional eating has long been linked with negative feelings (depression, loneliness and anxiety), but Dutch researchers found that emotional eaters (about 75 percent of us) are more likely to overeat when we're happy. Yep, all the celebratory toasts and "Job well done!" dinners are also contributing to the obesity epidemic. The problem is these often social settings only make us more likely to over-indulge. When you're in a good mood, it's hard to step on the brakes and realize that you're overdoing it. Think celebratory drinks after a big promotion, cupcakes at the office for a co-worker's birthday or endless plates of fries after your hometown sports team takes home the championship title.

Now, we're not against indulging once in a while, but if you're worried about sabotaging your diet, completely falling off the wagon, or simply want to work toward a healthier lifestyle, it's a good idea to have some healthier options up your sleeve. To help you stay on track during the best of times, we rounded up some nutritionist-approved swaps that you can make for the usual "I'm celebrating!" treats.

SEE NEXT PAGE: Brownies

EDITORS' BEST OF

12 Best Acne Products for Your Clearest Skin Yet

11 Best Tinted Moisturizers for Easy, On-the-Go Coverage