Happiness is a great feeling to have. Being happy is a positive emotion and it can be a strong motivator. Because it is a positive emotion, it can’t be bad for you right? Well, yes and no. Happiness can only get troublesome if your behavioural response to it is too much or overwhelming. For instance, if you are an emotional eater who goes out for drinks and dinners to celebrate every small victory, you could be jeopardizing your health. Luckily, managing your response to happy events can be easier than when you are in deep sadness.

1. Save lavish eating experiences for special occasions.

• Emotional eaters especially enjoy gastronomic experiences that give them complete satisfaction, which is why going to fancy restaurants or cooking up a storm is one of the best ways to mark special occasions.
• Special occasions are called “special” because they do not happen often. Birthdays, anniversaries, holidays and even a big promotion are some of the events that can be counted as special occasions to celebrate.
• However, if you are the type who considers every happy event as a cause to celebrate in a big feast, you can be in big trouble. Having cake and ice cream because your pet has finally learned to use the litter box may not be such a good idea.

2. Find other ways to celebrate.

• Celebrations do not always have to be able grand fiestas or past happy hour drinks.  Doing this all the time helps you pack the pounds especially when you are in the company of people you like and never seem to mind the time or the amount of alcohol and grub you have consumed.
• The next time you land a good deal or the boss commends you for a job well done, reward yourself with that killer heels or car accessory you been looking at but never really bought.
• Celebrate a happy moment by slowing down and relaxing instead. Relaxation is becoming more of a luxury nowadays and giving yourself some down time to mark a happy event in your life is a better idea than stuffing yourself with food. You get a fresh feeling after and you don’t get extra pounds too.
• Happiness attracts more happiness. Instead of going all out and spending on your favourite food just for yourself, why not share your blessings of happiness with others by sponsoring a meal at a local shelter, soup kitchen or orphanage? It’ll keep you busy, make you feel so much happier and remind you that eating because of your emotions may not be the best idea after all.

3. Remember that happiness is different from sugar high.

• Sure a sweet treat seems like an awesome instant and simple celebration when you are feeling giddy and happy. But overdoing the sugar makes you want more and may drive you on a sugar high.
• The nasty thing about the sugar high is when the energy wears off, you feel extra tired and lethargic, you end up asking yourself “where did all my good vibes go?”

4. Say ‘YES!’ only to events that really matter to you.

• If you are the type who likes to celebrate by eating out and drinking a lot, then your friends probably are too.
• This kind of lifestyle can drive your body nuts especially if you don’t have other regular physical activity in your schedule.
• By saying yes to every event that you are asked to go to (because you feel happy about others feeling happy), you subject yourself to the temptations of overeating. And what if three out of your five favourite co-workers have events on the same weekend, will you party and eat at all of their events?
• Being liked by many people is a nice thing to be happy about but you cannot go to everyone’s events all the time. Other than overeating and getting drunk, you also risk getting overly exhausted.

Tips

• Write down your happy thoughts and keep them in a journal or in small pieces of paper in a cup next on your desk. Next time you feel down, read one thought for a quick pick-me-upper. Doing this also calms down your giddiness so you don’t make irrational food choices when you go out to eat.
• Find new places to celebrate at other than your usual. Cook healthier meals at home or pack a picnic next time. Doing so lets you have more control over portion sizes and the ingredients that go into your meal.
• Go for a group celebration if there are many happy events for the week or month. It is more cost efficient and less likely to make people overweight too.

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