When heading out on vacation, there’s that little thought in the back of your mind thinking about the weight you’re going to gain. You may be pleasantly surprised and you might even lose a few pounds.

It’s true that overeating is common for most people while on vacation. However, emotional eating and food addiction are not the same as overeating. They’re triggered by enormous stress, not all the delightful foods that beckon you on your holiday.

Give your food addiction a vacation, too. If you’re not emotionally stressed out, you won’t feel the uncontrollable urge to stuff down your feelings with too much of the wrong foods. And, by the way, the wrong foods for someone else aren’t necessarily the wrong foods for you.

So, here’s today’s rescue remedy. Try some personal empowerment. When you’re on vacation, enjoy yourself. Relax, get a massage, do what you really want to do at least part of the time and you won’t feel the need to eat in order to cope.

Emotional eating is eating when your emotions have gotten the better of you. Don’t let your vacation companions, even if they’re family, bully you into doing things you don’t enjoy and that don’t make you feel relaxed and happy.

Be a little selfish. Let someone else cope for a change. You just enjoy yourself and your vacation, whether it is for a day or two weeks.

There’s no law that says you and your food addiction can’t take separate vacations.