Introduction
Stress eating is a common problem that many of us face. It can be difficult to break the habit of reaching for unhealthy snacks when we’re feeling overwhelmed or anxious. Fortunately, there are some simple strategies that can help you stop stress eating and make healthier choices. In this article, we’ll explore nine expert-recommended ways to stop stress eating and take control of your eating habits. From mindful eating to finding healthier alternatives, these tips can help you break the cycle of stress eating and make healthier choices.
9 Ways to Stop Stress Eating, According to Experts
Stress eating is a common problem that can lead to unhealthy habits and weight gain. Fortunately, there are several strategies you can use to help you break the cycle of stress eating. Here are nine tips from experts on how to stop stress eating.
1. Identify Your Triggers
The first step to breaking the cycle of stress eating is to identify what triggers your urge to eat. Common triggers include boredom, loneliness, and feeling overwhelmed. Once you know what triggers your stress eating, you can start to develop strategies to manage those triggers.
2. Practice Mindful Eating
Mindful eating is a practice that involves being aware of your thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations while eating. This can help you become more aware of your body’s hunger and fullness cues, so you can make better decisions about when and how much to eat.
3. Find Healthy Ways to Cope
When you’re feeling stressed, it’s important to find healthy ways to cope. Instead of turning to food, try activities like going for a walk, reading a book, or talking to a friend. These activities can help you manage your stress in a healthier way.
4. Eat Regularly
Eating regular meals and snacks throughout the day can help you avoid overeating when you’re feeling stressed. Eating regularly can also help you maintain a healthy weight and keep your energy levels up.
5. Avoid Unhealthy Foods
If you’re trying to stop stress eating, it’s important to avoid unhealthy foods. This includes foods that are high in sugar, fat, and calories. Instead, focus on eating healthy, nutrient-dense foods that will help you feel full and satisfied.
6. Get Enough Sleep
Getting enough sleep is essential for managing stress. When you’re well-rested, you’re better able to cope with stress and make healthier decisions about food. Aim for seven to nine hours of sleep each night.
7. Exercise Regularly
Exercise is a great way to manage stress and reduce the urge to eat. Regular physical activity can help you burn off excess energy and release endorphins, which can help you feel better and reduce stress.
8. Talk to a Professional
If you’re struggling to manage your stress eating, it may be helpful to talk to a professional. A therapist or nutritionist can help you develop strategies to manage your stress and make healthier food choices.
9. Be Kind to Yourself
Finally, it’s important to be kind to yourself. Don’t beat yourself up if you slip up and eat something unhealthy. Instead, focus on the positive changes you’re making and be proud of yourself for taking steps to improve your health.
Once we really feel careworn, many people flip to meals. And this yr greater than ever, the coronavirus pandemic has left many people to emphasize eat as we search out meals for consolation, out of boredom, or simply as a result of it is there.
There are a number of causes it’s possible you’ll resort to emphasize consuming. “We tend to emphasize eat once we really feel overwhelmed or are avoiding one thing. We can also stress consuming if we grew up utilizing that as a device for emotional well-being,” says Maggie Luther, ND, a naturopathic physician and Medical Director and Formulator at Care/of .
Hormones can also play a job: “Stress consuming also can happen attributable to sure hormones that course by means of our our bodies at greater concentrations once we are careworn. Cortisol is a well known stress hormone that may trigger us to need to eat extra,” says Jen Bruning, MS, RDN, LDN, registered dietitian nutritionist and spokesperson for the Academy of Diet & Dietetics. “One other is Ghrelin, dubbed the ‘starvation hormone’. Ghrelin ranges can enhance with stress and make us really feel hungrier.”
The trick is to have methods to interrupt the cycle of stress consuming dependence. Listed here are 9 ideas to assist break the cycle. Learn on, and for extra on the right way to eat wholesome, do not miss 7 Healthiest Meals to Eat Proper Now.
“Once we stress eat, it’s usually unconscious. The very first thing we have to do is construct consciousness of our actions. When you find yourself tempted to go stress eat, discover what you might be considering. Are you avoiding a activity, feeling overwhelmed by a shock undertaking, or have youngsters yelling at you within the background of your zoom assembly? Life’s stressors usually do not finish, however the best way we reply to stress can completely be tailored,” says Luther. “By first constructing the notice of if you are inclined to go stress eat, you can be way more profitable at altering your habits over the long-term. When you discover you’re making your technique to the fridge or cupboard, now could be the time to make use of one of many different tricks to divert your thoughts and focus away from stress consuming and in direction of stress discount!” Perhaps check out these 11 Mindfulness Hacks to Eat Much less, In line with Consultants.
RELATED: Join our e-newsletter to get every day recipes and meals information in your inbox!
“Acknowledge how badly you need to really feel a way of ease and the way disagreeable stress feels within the physique. Once you need to stress eat, provide your self a second of self-compassion by reciting a few compassionate phrases in your thoughts, like ‘Could I’ve ease. Could I be free from stress’. Do that for just a few moments,” says Stephanie Wagner, NBC-HWC, board-certified well being and wellness coach and program specialist at Wholesome Minds Improvements on the Heart for Wholesome Minds on the College of Wisconsin-Madison. “By responding to emphasize with self-compassion, you possibly can develop a more healthy relationship with stress—studying to simply accept it, reasonably than resist it. Resistance usually fuels stress, producing extra momentum to stress-eat. Do this seated meditation to search out compassion in troublesome conditions.”
“Set some expectations to your week by meals prepping just a few days prematurely. Have a plan for meals and snacks, even emotional ’emergency meals’ throughout nerve-racking instances. Then as you go about your day, you could be reminded of the meal or snack that is to come back and be much less tempted to stare mindlessly into your fridge when stress hits,” says Bruning. “You may even plan for the high-stress moments by figuring out what, and the way a lot of a sure meals will assist calm you down and meet your rapid want. Whole restriction tends to backfire—having a plan may help forestall this.”
“In these moments if you really feel actually wired, take a few sluggish deep breaths,” says Wagner. “The breath can have a naturally soothing impression on the nervous system and likewise has a chilled impact on the thoughts and physique, offering stress-relief that doesn’t contain consuming. Check out this temporary, seated meditation to assist aware respiration.”
“The outside contains issues like sunshine and contemporary air. Even in the course of winter, getting outdoor will scale back stress and promote a way of wellbeing due to these pure parts,” says Luther. “Once we discover ourselves opening the fridge or starring within the cupboard, inform your self, ‘Hey, this may be the right time to throw my coat on and get outdoors or open a window for 5-10 minutes.’ This straightforward exercise will give us an opportunity to zone out, which the mind wants. As a lot because the mind must focus, it additionally must chill out. This exercise will scale back stress consuming, get your nervous system calmed down, and assist your mind higher focus for the work forward.”
“Usually artistic in nature, a pastime that requires you to make use of your (clear) palms may help maintain you from mindlessly reaching for snacks,” says Bruning. “One thing like needlework, scrapbooking, jewelry-making, journaling, running a blog, and many others. retains your palms occupied, and might soothe your thoughts.”
“Originally of the day, recall to mind just a few core values which are vital to you, like generosity, compassion, kindness, and many others.,” says Wagner. “Once you really feel the urge to stress-eat, ask your self ‘What exercise can I do proper now that’s extra aligned with my values?’ If well-being is a price, possibly select to go for a stroll or take a chilled bathtub. If relationships are vital, attempt calling a pal. Aligning your stress-relieving methods along with your values may help you handle your stress in more healthy methods. This 10-minute energetic meditation is a superb begin.”
“Oftentimes once we stress eat, we aren’t even actually hungry. So as a substitute of going to the fridge or cupboard, head to the tap as a substitute,” says Luther. “Refill a glass of water, add a squeeze of lemon or a few frozen berries. Benefit from the glass of water and permit the urge to emphasize eat diffuse.” Talking of lemon water… have you ever examine What Occurs To Your Physique When You Drink Lemon Water Each Day?
“Simply since you’re careworn does not imply you should not eat. Having an deliberately portioned snack or meal in a time of stress may help us really feel reassured that the necessity for sustenance is met,” says Bruning. “A small snack between meals can really assist maintain us from overindulging later once we’re famished. Plus, common snacks may help regulate the variations in blood sugar that we expertise between consuming events.” Try these 50 Wholesome Snack Concepts to Throw Collectively in Minutes.