stress eating is getting the best of me

So I am currently in nursing school , all my classmates are losing weight due to stress and I am over here eating my feelings. One thing I am working on is stress eating:drinker: on healthier foods like yogurt , fruit and pretzels. I have gained 10 lbs sense school has started and I am not going to let all I have worked for go down the drain. So heres to a new start . If you have any helpful tips ill take them . :happy:

Replies

  • _KitKat_
    _KitKat_ Posts: 1,066 Member
    I try to make the unhealthy junk less accessible to myself, and the healthy stuff easy to get to. Almonds are a healthy snack that tastes great, sugar free gum is also good. bananas and apples travel well.
    Congrats on nursing school, my friend is in clinical's right now, and the stress for her is immense. She loves it though and is so proud at every milestone, you should be too!
  • stt43
    stt43 Posts: 487
    I can't offer much help as it's a huge struggle for me too. A few things:
    Don't have any unhealthy, high calorie foods in your home.
    Fill yourself up on healthy, low calorie foods so you are less likely to want to eat more.
    Exercise as much as possible, so if you do "stress eat" it's less likely to make you put on weight.
  • i dropped 40 pounds in law school. everyone's take on stress is different. i eat for other emotional reasons now, however. my advice...keep the good, low calorie snacks at hand...keep the junk out of the house, car, wherever. log in and be accountable for the stress eating. (note: i know not all stress eating is junk food). my stress eating involves super healthy foods...just too many of them.
  • Hildy_J
    Hildy_J Posts: 1,050 Member
    Mine's a bit left field but it works for me when I'm stressed so here goes... Jungian dream analysis - your dreams are simply your subconscious messaging you with things you need to know. Write your dreams down, draw your dreams - read over them often. They have all the answers.
  • Lleldiranne
    Lleldiranne Posts: 5,516 Member
    Keep chewing gum handy. Sometimes that helps me avoid the stress eating (or the jaw clenching, for that matter).

    Try to work in some exercise 3+ times a week if you don't already. That can combat your stress reactions as well as offset extra calories.
  • Lemmynade
    Lemmynade Posts: 160 Member
    I've turned stress eating into stress drinking water... I just don't keep food at my desk (except peanut butter), but we have an ice/water machine in my break room. It gives me several reasons to get up from my desk, stretch, and water never hurts! Just when you want to eat, have a full glass of water instead. The straw on my cup gives me that kind of oral fixation to get me through the cravings.
  • kristy3119
    kristy3119 Posts: 46 Member
    Aside from the things others have already said, my best tip is not to have cash on you at school if you can avoid it, at least not small bills/change. My good intentions sometimes go out the window when I pass a vending machine :)
  • Lizzy622
    Lizzy622 Posts: 3,705 Member
    Does your school have treadmills with bookracks? Most schools do. Work off stress
  • saishyamk
    saishyamk Posts: 41 Member
    I hear you.. I have the same problem!!
  • cmb67
    cmb67 Posts: 46 Member
    I know how you feel. As a MFP, you've seen me gain & re-lose the same few pounds over the last month. It's never easy. We just have to get ourselves "back in to it" mentally. that's the only way it's gong to work. best to us both!
  • graysmom2005
    graysmom2005 Posts: 1,882 Member
    I do the same thing....I don't lose my appetite when stressed! I would rethink your "healthy" choices though, as pretzels are just baked white flour and are high in carbs...fruit too when not in moderation...and even yogurt can be tricky....some are incredibly high in sugar and all three of these will make you even more hungry and not full. Switch the pretzels to maybe some almonds....get a Quest bar....20g of protein and no added sugar. Greek yogurt (2% will keep you fuller from a slightly higher fat)..or maybe some peanut butter to your fruit (apple etc) this will help keep your blood sugars from spiking and making you crave EVEN more pretzels etc. HTH!