How To Control Stress Eating For Good!

“I’ll have the #3, #4 and #6 super-sized please”

Did you know that when you eat foods high in fat and sugar, a calming effect takes over your body and mind?

These foods are “comfort” foods and they lower stress. This creates a vicious cycle in which people may have cravings for food that makes them feel calmer but is not necessarily good for them.

Stress eating is eating to soothe negative emotions, such as stress, anger, sadness, and loneliness.

How Can I Stop Stress Eating?

Stress eating often leads to eating too much, at the wrong time (such as before bed), and as a means to self-soothe.

According to Frontiers in Psychology, food intake may be used to achieve stress relief when levels of anxiety are high. This is due to Oxytocin, a hormone released in the brain that promotes stress relief. 

Everyday stressors or significant life-changing events can trigger negative emotions that lead to stress eating.

 These triggers might include:

• Fighting with your partner
• Work stress
• A major life-changing event, such as changing jobs or moving
• The death of a loved one
• Breaking up with your partner
• Financial stress
• Health problems
• Feeling a lack of control or overwhelmed 

Take these steps to regain control of your eating habits and stress and eating will no longer go hand in hand.

1. Avoid Body Shame To Reduce Stress Eating

When someone does not like what they see in the mirror, it can cause self-destruction. In this case, it’s in the form of overeating to suppress your feelings of shame and embarrassment toward yourself for being overweight.

This sort of negativity is the opposite of what a person needs to feel motivated to love themselves enough to make a change in the right direction. Many people say that once they reach their goal weight, everything will be better.

But, for the motivation to be present to make a positive change, you have to stop body shaming so the emotional eating cycle can end.

2. Use Mindfulness

If you’re unfamiliar with the concept of mindfulness, it is essentially paying attention to the present moment intentionally. 

Mindful eating has helped people see food as an experience rather than a necessity. We all have to eat, so eating intentionally while using all of your senses to enjoy your food will slow down your eating. 

Be fully present when eating and make it an experience, even when eating alone. You don’t have to go out to a restaurant to make eating eventful. 

Savor your food and be aware of the benefits of nourishing your body.

You’ll have a better chance of avoiding using eating as a coping skill.

3. Understand Your Hunger Cues

Understanding when you are  hungry versus when you’re eating for comfort is essential to curbing your appetite.

Pay attention to the physical symptoms of hunger

These can include:

4. Eat Protein To Reduce Stress Eating

A high-protein diet reduces hunger, helping you eat fewer calories.  This is caused by the improved function of weight-regulating hormones such as ghrelin.

Since protein influences the release of hormones that control appetite and food intake, if you stress eat, you may be more likely to eat less if you start by eating protein.

One study in overweight men showed that increasing protein to 25% of calories reduced cravings by 60% and decreased the desire to eat at night by half.

Carrying nuts or a cheese stick for “on the go” moments, which let’s face it are most moments, is a good way to avoid grabbing fast food, which usually isn’t a healthy choice.

If you fill up on more high protein foods, you will feel full and therefore have less of a chance of eating to suppress your stress.

5. Exercise

This is always a good suggestion to combat stress and feel good about yourself overall. Especially, since cortisol levels can be decreased because exercising releases “happy hormones” such as endorphins and serotonin.

Typically, if you exercise, you are more cautious about what you eat because you don’t want to “undo” your hard work. Some activities, such as yoga, have elements of both exercise and meditation.

6. Get It Out Of The House

When stress affects someone’s appetite and weight, get rid of high-fat, sugary foods. Sure, you may find a way to go by those “comfort foods” when you’re out of the house. But, at least when you’re home, you can avoid them if they simply aren’t there. You’ll have no choice but to go for something that is likely to be better for you.

Taking away your guilty pleasure snacks without replacing the relaxing effect of eating is not recommended. Instead, engage in a relaxation behavior. You could also keep your hands busy with an activity such as knitting or rolling a stress ball in your hands to combat stress.

7. Eat Regular Meals

When you feel stressed, the adrenal gland releases a hormone called cortisol which actually increases your appetite. If a person cannot find a way to lower their stress, cortisol levels may stay elevated, keeping you reaching for the donuts.

You may not feel particularly hungry. But, as someone who conducts psychological assessments for people seeking weight loss surgery, I often hear people saying they simply aren’t hungry.

That is until later on.

What happens next is that they get really busy and forget to eat. This often leads to overeating late when the day is done or eating fast food that is often garbage.

If you eat regularly, you can avoid the unpleasant physical and mental effects of being over-hungry, and make more mindful, healthier food choices.

8. Relaxation Exercises

Whatever the reason for your stress, relaxation exercises are life-changing strategies to significantly reduce stress.

From learning the optimal way to breathe to relieve stress, letting your imagination guide you to a place where you feel relaxed and safe, relaxation strategies are key to add to your routine. Learn more here.

Unhealthy Stress-Reducing Behaviors 

Food is not the only “go-to” for stress reduction. People who are stressed often sleep less, exercise less, drink more alcohol, and turn to drug use more often. All of these behaviors can contribute to weight gain and have  physical and mental health repercussions.

Avoid the drive-through when stress is high. Know that there are strategies you can put in place to feel in control and lessen stress without super sizing it! 

Follow these tips on how to avoid stress eating and feel your best!

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