stress eating

Shampres

I'm interested in the psychology of stress eating. What is it about the stressful situation that makes us shove food down our throats? We know it doesn't help. We know we'll feel worse after doing it, and we know we can't "out-exercise" a bad diet.

So why? Why when we have a stressful conference call or a bad client meeting or running up on a deadline do we reach for chocolate covered berries or peanuts or whatever salty sweet thing we can get our hands on?

I'm usually fine with my diet. I've never been perfect and I've never tried to be perfect, but I'm usually at least in control. Lately, though, it's been whatever I can get my hands on. Pop-tarts, peanuts, frozen fish sticks, macaroni and cheese, diet coke. I know I'm sabotaging myself. I know that, cognitively. I know food isn't providing me real comfort.

As an aside, I'm also sticking to my planned meals. I'm having my brown rice and ground turkey for lunch and oatmeal for breakfast. Almonds or tuna for a snack. I don't feel deprived. I am not stress eating because I'm undereating otherwise. I just feel compelled to eat all this crap.

Who else does this? What need is it satisfying? To get a hold of myself, I think I need to understand my motivation, and I don't know how to begin to think about it. This is uncharacteristic of me.

What do y'all think? Why do we do this to ourselves?

Shampres

A few internet searches suggest that fats ands carbs lead to increase in "happy" brain chemistry so stress eating is the brain trying to un-feel negative feelings. That makes sense. So instead of staying busy and powering through the day, I'll try taking a few minutes to really process what's happening instead of just quickly moving on to the next item on my to-do list.

Xpecta

I don't know why. I'm struggling with it as well. Big time. I'm so very stressed with life lately, that I'm doing so bad with my eating, and no, I can't out exercise it. It sucks. If anyone has insight, I would love to hear it!

JaimejWatkins

I am glad you had a answer. I have often wondered the same thing. I am the same way I always run to food when I am stressed.

Shampres

It doesn't solve anything. It just makes it worse, so then it compounds and turns into this horrible, unhealthy cycle. Thanks for chiming in guys - it helps me to feel not quite so crazy.

jenaesquierdo

I was doing so well, then today I had a tough day. I felt so stressed and all I could think was fried food. It sucked. Stress makes me crave food to feel better. It's so hard.

jnv7594

I have always been a big stress eater, but I feel like I have learned how to work my way through it after months and months of practice. It takes a lot of self talk for me. I just tell myself, yes, I can eat that donut, but it won't solve my problem. Sure it will feel good temporarily, but it won't make anything better and is just a temporary fix. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with having a donut, but I try to avoid mindless eating when I'm stressed. Eating when I'm not even hungry just for the sake of eating. I also started using walks for stress relief, so instead of sitting down and binging, I would go for a walk to clear my head and usually come back a lot happier. Now that it's cold, it's a bit harder to do, so I try to occupy my mind with other things when I'm feeling stressed or like you said, really think about why I'm stressed and what I can do. But yes, the body will release chemicals in the brain in response to eating when stressed in some people...serotonin. There is an actual chemical reaction, but that doesn't mean we are doomed to be stress eaters forever. It's really one area that I have focused on lately because if I don't fix how I deal with stress, I will just sink back into my old habits eventually. Trying hard to avoid that this time around.

Aemely

I realize you said that you are "usually fine" with your brown rice and ground turkey "diet" but have you considered that perhaps you need to figure out a way to find more fun and mentally/physically satisfying foods that still fit into your new eating plan? I tried going w/ the "diet" mentality years ago, and that didn't stick. I've found that eating high quality, yummy, satisfying foods in smaller quantities makes me happy and reduces the temptation to stress eat.

That being said, when I get those times when I am tempted to eat mindlessly (as in, I'm not actually hungry), I'm a big fan of hot tea, walks, and a hot shower before bed. In addition to finding satiating foods that fit within your plan, relaxing activities that are calorie-free can help!

Good luck, and don't be afraid to eat what you like, in moderation.