Today, I want to share something that is close to the heart of many women.

It's overeating.

Call it what you like, but most of us overeat. Not because our bodies need it. But we overeat when we're happy and in a celebratory mood. We overeat when we don't want to waste our children's food. We overeat when we're with wonderful friends and family. And if you are a Baptist...can you resist yet another spoonful from that covered dish?

We have all been there.

But there also is the darker side to overeating that goes beyond partying or having a good time.

We overeat when we feel lonely or unhappy. We overeat when we are depressed or bored. We overeat when we are disappointed or angry.

Sometimes we don't even know that our overeating is not due to hunger but negative emotions.

Well, not to worry. I have a simple test for you! It is funny that I read in an article somewhere not too long ago about the same test that I use for myself and my children. I thought I invented it! LOL. I call it the “apple test”.

Each time I want to eat something in the middle of the day, late at night or when I'm pottering in the kitchen, I ask myself, “Do I want to eat an apple now?” If I say no, then I know I'm really not hungry.

But if my mind is still set on that mini-bag of chocolate chip cookies (sans trans-fat and all things supposedly “bad”), I'll crunch on the apple. Usually that takes the edge off my emotional hunger and I can pass the cookies or some other kind of comfort food.

When my children say they are hungry soon after a meal, it's usually because they want something sweet or unnecessary. My question to them is usually, “Shall I get you an apple?” If they are hungry they will say “Yes, we want the apples!” If they say they are not hungry for apples, then I try to distract them or put some apple slices in front of them anyway.

I'm sharing this because I believe we feel better about ourselves and others when we don't overeat. One day I may talk about the binges I used to have in my late teens and early twenties. They were not pretty. Oh, I loved the Lord and I had a passion for lost souls but how painful were the throes of self-loath I found myself in each time I binged. One day...may be 

For now anyway, I hope the “apple test” will help you distinguish between real physical hunger and emotional hunger. Knowing the difference is the beginning of taking charge of your food intake. And having a control over that aspect of life will reduce a significant amount of stress for not a few women. We can all do with less stress in our lives...