When we hear dieters say, “I was stressed, I had to eat,” we ask them, “If you were that stressed and there was no food available, would you die?” The answer, of course, is no. At any given moment, the urge to eat may feel like a ‘need’ but it NEVER is. It’s always a ‘want.’ Telling yourself you need to eat is an excuse to give in. Realizing that you just WANT to eat in that moment may help you remind you that just because you want to eat, doesn’t mean you have to or should.