Every Monday, That's Fit's very own "charged up" wellness guru Laura Lewis presents The Passion Principle, a weekly guide that will help you achieve your greatest potential through words of inspiration, cutting-edge ideas and action tips you can use in your every day life!

Your emotional state can affect your eating habits, so when you're depressed, you might find yourself diving into a pint of Haagen Daz and if you are stressed, that bag of salty chips and salsa might be just the ticket.

I had a wake-up call years ago after graduating from college with my degree in food and nutrition. I discovered while reviewing food diaries and in general exploratory discussions with folks that their food choices were often dictated by how they were feeling. Rare were the people who were so "good" with their diet that nothing "life oriented" knocked them off balance. Patterns began to emerge when I asked questions like, "What do you eat when you are stressed out?" or "What do you eat when you are sad?" Those who were often depressed chose foods such as ice cream and candy. Stressed-out people preferred salty items like chips or fries. Food and feelings go hand in hand for many. Yet, how in the world can we win the battle against our emotions when we are trying to lose weight?

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Though anorexia and bulimia get a lot of press, little attention is paid to the most common eating disorder: Binge eating. Binge eating can lead to obesity, diabetes and depression, and while many people overeat now and then, binge eating disorder involves frequent out-of-control overeating, and it can cause a person to feel shame, anxiety or guilt.

A recent study out of Dalhousie University found that perfectionists, especially, can be at risk of developing binge eating disorder. Binging is a form of escapism -- "Think about it -- when was the last time that you were rapidly eating a pizza and pondering a major life decision at exactly the same time?" study author Dr. Simon Sherry asks Science Daily -- so perfectionists may turn to binge eating as a way to distract themselves from overwhelming, negative feelings.

Card-carrying perfectionists -- binge eaters or not -- might be able to relate to this. When a perfectionist sets a goal and it isn't reached, it creates difficult feelings. Sherry's study found that a particular sub-group of perfectionists -- those who feel they're being judged by others -- are at a heightened risk of turning to food for solace.

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Weight loss isn't just a numbers game. While calories in/calories burned may be the basis of losing weight, there's more to breaking bad habits and developing a healthy lifestyle.

Last week, I asked you whether you think fears, insecurities or other emotional issues can hinder your weight loss progress. Here's what you had to say:

• 66 percent of you think that emotional eating is a big part of weight gain and that underlying issues have to be dealt with to lose/keep off weight.
• 22 percent of you think some people might turn to food for emotional reasons, but you don't think that should prevent them from maintaining a healthy weight.
• 12 percent, however, think emotions have nothing to do with it and weight gain is strictly due to eating too much and not exercising enough.

There are a lot of reasons people overeat, and more often than not, hunger isn't one of them. Do you eat because you crave a taste or texture, or because you're bored or upset? If you're taking your hunger cues from your brain or your taste buds, rather than your stomach, it's really easy to overeat.

Any emotional eater knows that it's a lot harder to control this kind of overeating than typical cravings, but it's not impossible. If you recognize one of the emotions below as a trigger for overeating, try some of these tips from AOL Health to get your emotional eating under control:

• Boredom: Find a new way to engage in life. Take a walk, try a new hobby or call a friend.
• Sadness: Comfort foods are "comforting" for a reason. But they really only make you feel better for a minute or two. Find a healthier way to heal yourself -- hang out with friends, walk your dog or take a class.
• Anger: Chewing something crunchy can actually relieve stress, but the after-effects can leave you mad at yourself. Try chewing gum instead.
• Sleepless: Don't cure your insomnia with a midnight snack, put something warm and caffeine-free -- like decaf tea or milk -- in your belly.

Do you struggle with emotional eating? What tips and tricks do you use to control these types of cravings?

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Ready to take on those unhealthy eating habits? Maggie's got three tips for nixing those bad habits once and for all. (Hint: Quit eating in front of the TV.)

Scarlett Johansson slims down for "Iron Man 2," but 55 percent of "That's Fit" readers think she looks healthier with her curves.

Caffeinating before a workout -- do you do it? Eighteen percent of you said yes, but only because you're caffeine users anyway.

Can't get rid of that cellulite no matter how many squats and lunges you do? Do what celebs like Kim Kardashian and Marisa Miller do and camouflage those lumps and bumps with a good moisturizer and a little bronzer.

Next time you're at the gym, Fitz wants you to remember this: Smoothies are great as an occasional dessert, but they are not a required snack after your workout.

Remember the can't-look-away grossness of "This Is Why You're Fat?" Now there's a healthier version, "This Is Why You're Thin." Check it out!

Diet and exercise isn't about creating the perfect body, it's about taking care of the body your momma gave you. Laura teaches us how to love our bodies, Hollywood perfect or not.

Live too far from work to commute by foot or bike? Try public transit. It still beats driving your car for personal fitness.

Eight weeks after her arm lift, Karla's ready to go sleeveless. Read more about her surgery and recovery. Are you ready to bare your arms this spring?

Feeling angry? It's not doing much for your waistline. In fact, research shows that angry men gain more weight. Don't worry, Jacki's got some tips to help you keep that temper under control and avoid emotional eating.

Lily Allen has found her own personal secret to weight loss: Happiness.

After a tumultuous few years, Lily seems to really have come into her own. And her weight reflects that, she says.

"The only reason I have lost weight is because I comfort eat when I'm not very happy," Allen said, "The last two years, even though I had a lot of success with my first record, I was ... getting so drunk. I was on tour with people I didn't know, and I was all around the world working really hard and was really confused and lonely."

But now, Lily says, life "feels good." And that's translated to fewer room service orders of greasy french fries for the singer, whose album It's Not Me, It's You is being released next week.

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Everybody wants to hear that weight loss is easy. Just think of all the commercials you see for miracles pills or diet plans -- all the smiling, happy people talking about how quick and easy it was. I have two words to say to that: Yeah, right.

The fact of the matter is that losing weight is challenging. Changing any lifestyle habit is a challenge and diet and exercise are no exceptions to that. And, since many people who are overweight have emotional reasons for eating, there's sometimes even more to tackle than simply cutting calories and exercising more.

Divine Caroline counts through nine cold, hard truths about weight loss. For example, while you might have heard that 30 minutes of moderate exercise five days a week is enough, if you want to lose weight, you're better off doing more than that. But don't let the facts discourage you. Yes, changing lifestyle habits is hard ... but the effort is so worth it. Not only will losing weight improve your overall health and appearance, you'll find that you feel better, more positive and energized. The results are well worth the effort you put in.

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Jenna Vaught is not your average beauty queen. She didn't grow up in a life filled with pretty dresses and perfect make-up. Instead, Jenna was an obese child and the accessories she wore were shame and self-loathing. In her young 20's, Jenna had her daughter and soon after reached her highest weight -- 427 pounds. Her mobility was affected as was her health. More importantly, Jenna realized she was caught in a vicious cycle -- her insecurities were the root cause of her weight gain and her weight gain was adding to her insecurities. Jenna went on a mission to lose the weight, rediscover herself, and reach her life goals. Jenna's weight loss is inspiring, but even more inspiring is the insight she now has regarding body image and learning how to love yourself. I had the wonderful opportunity to talk with Jenna so she could share her story with That's Fit readers. Read on for the first half of her interview.

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Not too long ago, I wrote about a workout More Magazine had specifically for women over 40. Now, some More Magazine readers have stepped forward to show that they're over 40 and fitter than they were in their 20's.

Some of their tips:

• Manage stress eating by making healthier, conscious choices.
• See a trainer to develop a strength training routine.
  
• Limit red meat and eat more fruits and vegetables.
• Exercise daily.
• Shove self-doubt to the side and don't shy away from a challenge.
• Try a new activity.
• Even if you have a hectic schedule, be sure to take time to focus on yourself. Treat your health like the priority it is.
• Practice weight-bearing exercises to maintain healthy bone density.

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I'm part Irish and I was raised Catholic. If there's one thing I know in life, I know guilt. And, having a bit of a sweet tooth, I've been known to feel quite guilty about some not-so-healthy food choices. I'm not alone in that. Almost everyone is (ahem) guilty of feeling guilty about the foods they put in their mouth. And, frankly, it's a ridiculous notion.

Food and emotion should be two entirely separate things. Having a brownie does not make you a bad person. It doesn't make you weak or negate all the other healthy choices you make in your life. While it's, of course, important to to eat healthfully and nourish your body with the proper foods, it's OK to stray and allow yourself a treat from time to time.

In fact, labeling foods as "bad" gives them a power they don't deserve. There's a post on FitnessFixation.com where the author mentions how Sesame Street talks about foods in terms of "healthy food" and "fun food." That's such a great way to look at it, don't you think?

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When emotions run high, a lot of people run for the fridge. Emotional eating is a complex habit. For many people, it's a habit that they've practiced for years and years -- maybe even since their childhood. Many people who eat due to emotions such as sadness, anger, depression, boredom, stressed, or loneliness, are fully aware that they are emotional eaters. Even though they're cognizant of their eating habits, in the heat of the moment it's sometimes hard to tell the difference between real hunger and emotional triggers. But knowing your body and finding healthier outlets for your emotions is important for health.

Everyday Health shares some tips on determining real, physical hunger from emotion-based hunger:

• Physical hunger builds gradually, causes your stomach to growl, isn't accompanied by a sense of compulsion, occurs hours after you last ate, and goes away after eating.
• Emotional hunger develops suddenly, is a more mental craving (when you "get a taste" for something), makes you feel like you urgently need to eat, is unrelated to the last time you ate, often has specific cravings, persists even when you're full, and leaves you feeling guilty after eating.
  

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If you're human, then you'll appreciate this clip from Over the Hedge that the girls from Sister Skinny recently shared. It's about humans and our relationship with food. It's so glaringly honest that I feel a little embarrassed when I watch it. I don't know about you, but my personal relationship with food is a tricky one. I love it, seriously love it. I'm also a little afraid of it (cloned meat, anyone?) and I feel guilty when I eat too much or eat the "wrong" things.

Luckily, I'm not too far gone to appreciate poking a little fun at myself. Take a look!

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