How to deal with stress eating and cravings

lozenger1984

Hi All,

Hoping for some ideas here. I’ve had a great year in terms of weight loss (80lbs down, 50 or so to go). However, I’ve lost weight before and always regained. Im a horrible stress eater and do struggle with cravings. I’ve hit a really stressful period at work, doing more hours. This is where I typically would start back on the old excuses of needing a treat, not having time to cook etc. I’ve not gone too wild (yet) but have definitely been snacking a bit more.

How have you all changed these kind of habits? How do you become someone who doesn’t stress eat?

My current action plan for this week (on call 9 days in a row so not much time) is just to go to my pre-booked gym sessions and follow the meal plan I’ve written for this week.

Any suggestions welcome! Thanks.

Pootler74

Well, first off, you've lost 80 pounds, which is amazing. Even more amazing because you've done it while regularly sabotaging yourself with stress eating. I did the same thing. Then I put lots of weight on again, mostly through stress eating. But in a way, that was good, because losing and gaining taught me a lot about how to help myself handle food better.

I've learned that this might be something I don't ever get better at. But there are ways I can help myself. These might not all be right for you but they are helping me out at the moment.

I eat lots of protein. I aim for 40%. On days that I eat more protein than that I don't graze or snack and often I don't comfort eat. I don't avoid fat, either. That seems to help.

Almost all of the foods that I stress eat and will trigger a binge are locked in boxes in the pantry. I don't know the combination for the locks, but my family does.

I've learned what my trigger foods are. I avoid them unless I'm absolutely sure I'm going to be able to eat a normal portion and then carry on as normal. Often I'll swap a sugary treat for something else high in calories but which has fat or protein rather than sugar. Same calories. Not binge afterwards.

When I'm feeling like I might stress eat, I plan out my food for the next day, and leave room for nice things like protein bars, beer and low cal ice cream.

I exercise every day. The endorphins give me the same feeling as a bar of chocolate does and the achievements build my confidence.

I buy prepared food when I feel like I don't have time to cook. Not microwave meals, just things that make it easier, like grated carrots and bagged salad.

I leave more calories for the weekend so I can eat at maintenance for one or two days and relax a bit.

I have a repertoire of a few quick, sort of balanced meals and snacks that are easy to make that don't feel like diet food: English breakfast, chips done in the air fryer with beans and fried egg, Greek yoghurt blended with frozen fruit to make frozen yoghurt.

If I can catch the juggernaut that is my brain when it's craving something before I stress eat, I try doing something else for 10 minutes. Often the craving subsides. Sometimes I go out for a walk around the block.

If I'm stressed, I try to carve out time for myself to watch a film or crochet or read. I don't get a lot of time just for me, so this is a great way to make myself feel good.

And when it all fails, I treat myself the way I would treat a good friend. Forgive it, understand it, move on, try again.

It's a long learning process. But it can get better. X

88olds

Make a better plan. Even if you have to add a few calories. Maybe calculate the maintenance calories for your current weight and aim for that.

A plan you can’t actually live with is not a good plan. A problem with doing a lot of unplanned eating is it undermines the planning process.

If you are out of your normal routine, adapt your plan to your current reality. Nothing wrong with that. Look at it as providing proper fuel to meet current demands.

Find some sort of exercise routine you can do to fill the gap short term. Look on YouTube. Even if it’s 10-15 minutes on the floor or going for a walk. Just so you can look yourself in the mirror and say you did a workout.

Be proactive. If you have better control of what’s going on, and see that you’re taking care of yourself, maybe you won’t think of yourself as so beaten up that you need a treat.

88olds

One other thought. Water.

I was in a work situation so stressful I thought I was losing my mind. And not sleeping. Then I went to the snack bar, bought the biggest bottle of water they had and made short work of it. Things immediately changed for the better. I started drinking 2-3 liters per day. Big help.

cheryldumais

Honestly I walk. I know that doesn't sound very interesting but going for a brisk walk outside somewhere beautiful helps. If the weather is awful I'll use the treadmill but I find outside more relaxing.

kimny72

lozenger1984 wrote: »

Hi All,

Hoping for some ideas here. I’ve had a great year in terms of weight loss (80lbs down, 50 or so to go). However, I’ve lost weight before and always regained. Im a horrible stress eater and do struggle with cravings. I’ve hit a really stressful period at work, doing more hours. This is where I typically would start back on the old excuses of needing a treat, not having time to cook etc. I’ve not gone too wild (yet) but have definitely been snacking a bit more.

How have you all changed these kind of habits? How do you become someone who doesn’t stress eat?

My current action plan for this week (on call 9 days in a row so not much time) is just to go to my pre-booked gym sessions and follow the meal plan I’ve written for this week.

Any suggestions welcome! Thanks.

Stress eating is a habit. The best way to stop a bad habit is replace it with a good one. Think of other small, simple things that can help you deal with stress. Texting a friend, a 3 minute breathing exercise, a quick walk to the water cooler and back, a puppy video on YT, that sort of thing. Pick one or two and leave reminders for yourself to be seen when the urge would strike - a post-it note, a keepsake, a band on your wrist.

I know some people frown on frozen meals, but I would often find that on the way home from work I would decide that even boiling water was too much to ask, so I'd stop at a drive thru and get way too much food. Having a few Lean Cuisine type dinners in the freezer really helped eliminate that. I also stocked up on single serving treats, like Fudgesicles and Fiber One brownies. I would tell myself that I don't have to stop at the drive thru for a quick meal - I can throw a dinner in the microwave and have a treat afterwards. Perfect? No. Better? Absolutely.

Having a plan that you can tweak if it doesn't work gives you a better chance. It can also help to have tiers - good better best. You start out trying for the best option, but if it just doesn't cut it you have something to fall back on that is at least better than totally giving up! And forgive yourself if you have a day that you just crap all over the plan, it happens to all of us. You just have to get right back on plan and keep moving forward

mulecanter

Great suggestions so far. Recognizing stress is half the battle for me, not sure if that's just a guy issue but self-awareness is essential to behavior modification. I think you are on the right track. -80lbs is fantastic!

bvff35

I am a huge stress eater. So right now when I want to stress eat, I only allow myself to eat dill pickles (only 1 or 2). I dont love them and the vinegar taste helps to stop the cravings without going over my calorie goal. Just an idea that may work for you also.