Any tips on not stress eatin during the exams

tahneesummers88

I drink black tea with light milk and two sachets of Natvia.. I'll have 2 or 3 while I'm studying, sometimes a herbal tea with agave syrup. It stops me running to the kitchen every hour. I study from home, so I need to be quite disciplined!

HealthyishWithMaggieG

I think my eyes are going to roll out of my head, if I roll them any harder at some of these suggestions.

You're already dealing with the stressful effects of exams. This is NOT the time to make major changes to your sleep, diet, and exercise plan. It will stress you out even further. This is the time to limit the collateral damage that exams can cause.

You're a Coke drinker. So be it. Drinking Diet Coke (which I would never recommend anyway, due to the chemical sweeteners) isn't gonna get it done for you. Plus, it tastes like crap. Just limit the amount of Coke that you drink each day to just 1 can. Buy 1 12-pack before exams start and don't buy anymore until after exams are complete. The rest of the time, drink lots of water (like, a gallon a day) and make sure it's COLD.

The same thing goes for suggesting you switch to tea. That, most likely, won't get the job done for you, either. I don't think it has enough caffeine, to really help keep you alert or to wake you up, in the morning.

Keep lots of fresh vegetables in the fridge. Think cold and crunchy. So, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, celery, cucumbers, zucchini, etc. The trick is to go ahead and clean and prep/cut them up as soon as you get them home, from the store... and be sure to portion them out into snack size baggies. That way, when you need a snack, they're already ready for you and you can just grab 1 baggie.

Fresh fruits are good, too. I'd focus on citrus fruits, grapes, apples, pears... again, crunchy fruits or things that will perk you up. I would avoid "heavy" or mushy fruits like bananas. It's a texture thing, for me. Prep your fruits, similarly to how I suggested you prep your veggies.

I'm not usually on the protein bandwagon, but in this case, I would recommend getting more protein than you might usually eat. My 2 favorite protein sources right now are from turkey burgers (30g protein) and salmon burgers (21g protein). I get the frozen patties from Sam's Club and they're awesome. I put them between 2 slices of whole wheat bread with a little Miracle Whip.

For a protein snack, I like to hard boil a dozen eggs at a time and have them waiting in the fridge for me.

Portioned out bags of trail mix can be good, too. Just be sure to read the label and know what a portion actually is. If you don't want to portion it out yourself, you can get vending machine portions prepackaged at Sam's Club, in a big box. I really like the Kar's Sweet 'n Salty Mix.

I wouldn't avoid fats, all together, but make sure you eat foods with good fats, like avocado or salmon.

Yes, in an ideal world, you'd get 8 hours of sleep a night. You're studying for exams, though... what, 2 weeks, maybe? Try to get at least 5 hours of sleep each night.

Lastly, the most important thing is to remember that exams are temporary. Even if you totally blow your good eating habits, don't beat yourself up over it. Attitude is everything. Just think, "Whew! I'm glad that's over. Tomorrow's a new day and I'll start again."

Good luck!

SunsetSafari

You've got lots of great tips already, but I'll just add a few.

I'll second the notion that planning is key. Make a list of healthy, tasty snacks and take it with you to the grocery store. This will help keep you from impulse-buying. Pick stuff that's tasty, so that you won't feel too deprived if you substitute it for sugar, calorie-rich sweets. I know exams can be stressful, and it might be hard to resist going out for lunch or dinner once or twice. If you do, check out the menu beforehand and try to pick out what you will order, so you have a sense of how many calories it will take to cover that meal.

I have a soda once a day with dinner, but it's always a diet or "zero" version. No calories expended there, and no deprivation.

If you're stressed, exercise! Going to the gym or doing a quick DVD workout can help you de-stress and burn calories simultaneously. I find it really beneficial for helping me return to my work with a clear head (and I'm a graduate student).

Good luck!

Thanks for all the advice and good luck :-)

SunsetSafari

Thanks everyone. I've gotten some really good tips. I'll try and exercise at least half an hour a day during the exams: I won't buy any junkfood and I'll logg everything on mfp. And you're right, diet soda isn't so bad in this case.

SunsetSafari

I keep a bag of carrots and grapes on me since I know I'll stress eat, but this way I'm getting low cals and a nice amount of vitamin A. But, and I can't stress this enough, STAY AWAY FRO THE CHIPS! They are not your friend.

Yeah, I know: but the salt is so addictive! And peanuts, I love peanuts when I'm stressed (salted ones) :-(

SunsetSafari

I think my eyes are going to roll out of my head, if I roll them any harder at some of these suggestions.

You're already dealing with the stressful effects of exams. This is NOT the time to make major changes to your sleep, diet, and exercise plan. It will stress you out even further. This is the time to limit the collateral damage that exams can cause.

You're a Coke drinker. So be it. Drinking Diet Coke (which I would never recommend anyway, due to the chemical sweeteners) isn't gonna get it done for you. Plus, it tastes like crap. Just limit the amount of Coke that you drink each day to just 1 can. Buy 1 12-pack before exams start and don't buy anymore until after exams are complete. The rest of the time, drink lots of water (like, a gallon a day) and make sure it's COLD.

The same thing goes for suggesting you switch to tea. That, most likely, won't get the job done for you, either. I don't think it has enough caffeine, to really help keep you alert or to wake you up, in the morning.

Keep lots of fresh vegetables in the fridge. Think cold and crunchy. So, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, celery, cucumbers, zucchini, etc. The trick is to go ahead and clean and prep/cut them up as soon as you get them home, from the store... and be sure to portion them out into snack size baggies. That way, when you need a snack, they're already ready for you and you can just grab 1 baggie.

Fresh fruits are good, too. I'd focus on citrus fruits, grapes, apples, pears... again, crunchy fruits or things that will perk you up. I would avoid "heavy" or mushy fruits like bananas. It's a texture thing, for me. Prep your fruits, similarly to how I suggested you prep your veggies.

I'm not usually on the protein bandwagon, but in this case, I would recommend getting more protein than you might usually eat. My 2 favorite protein sources right now are from turkey burgers (30g protein) and salmon burgers (21g protein). I get the frozen patties from Sam's Club and they're awesome. I put them between 2 slices of whole wheat bread with a little Miracle Whip.

For a protein snack, I like to hard boil a dozen eggs at a time and have them waiting in the fridge for me.

Portioned out bags of trail mix can be good, too. Just be sure to read the label and know what a portion actually is. If you don't want to portion it out yourself, you can get vending machine portions prepackaged at Sam's Club, in a big box. I really like the Kar's Sweet 'n Salty Mix.

I wouldn't avoid fats, all together, but make sure you eat foods with good fats, like avocado or salmon.

Yes, in an ideal world, you'd get 8 hours of sleep a night. You're studying for exams, though... what, 2 weeks, maybe? Try to get at least 5 hours of sleep each night.

Lastly, the most important thing is to remember that exams are temporary. Even if you totally blow your good eating habits, don't beat yourself up over it. Attitude is everything. Just think, "Whew! I'm glad that's over. Tomorrow's a new day and I'll start again."

Good luck!

Thanks for the advice! I always liked coke, but during the exams I usually drink just too much of it. Last time I even started some energie drinks with extra caffeine and sugar... bug no-no. But I'll take it on board, and I think that realistically 5 hours is the most I'll get many nights.

marcellomoo

I'll be trying out carrots and other snacking vegetables with some low calorie dips. Also jumbo chocolate snackajacks. They may not be nutritious, but they're 62cals and absolutely delicious.

My main issue is if I go to the library with their "packet sweets and bottled drinks only" rule :grumble:

DucklingtoSwan

This is just an idea, but what if you increase your calories just to maintenance mode so you have a little more to work within while staying in control? If it's only a few days it shouldn't be a big deal... you won't lose, but you won't gain either.

cfoley4

Chewing gum has been linked to better concentration. I'm a teacher and do see that it helps some students maintain focus.

SunsetSafari

This is just an idea, but what if you increase your calories just to maintenance mode so you have a little more to work within while staying in control? If it's only a few days it shouldn't be a big deal... you won't lose, but you won't gain either.

Yep, I will increase my intake to maintenance, that's for sure. I don't expect to really lose any weight during those weeks...

SunsetSafari

Peanut M&Ms and energy drinks have always been my typical exam food and I've always worked between 9 pm and 4 am. So I'm a little scared of my next exams, too. I don't know if healthy alternatives will help me through the exams, but afterwards in the semester break, there will be lots of time for workouts though :-D

Yeah, indeed... problem is, I start working the week after, and I'll be working from 8 am to 5 pm everyday, except weekends. But we'll get through this :-)

SunsetSafari

I'm in the same boat. I treat exam time the same way I treat the rest of the school year. Keep up a routine. I personally stick to eating 3 large meals a day and that's it, no snacks.

Search high carb low fat vegan snacks for healthy options if you feel the need Good luck on finals

Thanks! I would love that for once I can say that I didn't gain any weight or hardly any. If I can keep it off during finals, I can keep it off...

Mr_Knight

Does anyone have any tips on how to reduce this?

Prepare for your exams earlier, and better.

Then there's no reason to stress.

GretaGirl8

When I am feeling especially stressed and anxious I know emotional eating WILL be a problem. I stock up on sugarless gum and candies (I love ice breakers). Now, over consumption can lead so some tummy discomfort. however, i take the trade off. I would rather have some tummy bloating than the knowledge that I just consumed 1500 calories in snacking throughout the day.

Ready2Rock206

I would have died before giving up diet soda in law school. I ate carrots for the crunch and for a treat I had hot tamales because I can only eat so many before they make my mouth too hot. LOL!