Any tips on not stress eatin during the exams
SunsetSafari
Posts: 39
Hey guys!
I'm a student, and one of my very weak points when it comes to maitaining weight are the exams. When I'm really stressed, sleepinga few hours a night, etc, I become a caffeïne and sugar junkie. I drink a ton of coke, eat loads of sweets crisps, etc.
Does anyone have any tips on how to reduce this? Perhaps things that they have done? Or perhaps any healthy snack ideas?
Thank you.
I'm a student, and one of my very weak points when it comes to maitaining weight are the exams. When I'm really stressed, sleepinga few hours a night, etc, I become a caffeïne and sugar junkie. I drink a ton of coke, eat loads of sweets crisps, etc.
Does anyone have any tips on how to reduce this? Perhaps things that they have done? Or perhaps any healthy snack ideas?
Thank you.
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Replies
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Normally, I try to sleep at least 8 hours a night--no exceptions. Even if you stay awake studying until 4am, you're really not learning much.
I don't really notice the effects of caffeine, but if you're going to be needing it, try to go with tea when and where you need it. If you are DESPERATELY in need of coke (and you're going to drink it anyway), you can temporarily use diet coke to not destroy any work you've done. Nevertheless, I still recommend against drinking it at all. I maybe have a cup every few months, but it shouldn't be a regular thing. (I drink coffee and tea regularly, 1-2 cups a day, with unsweetened almond milk and sometimes a teaspoon of honey or Truvia.)
Replace your sweets with fruits, especially things you can snack on like chips/popcorn. Blueberries, grapes, raspberries, and other small fruits are great for this. You can even add a little bit of nuts and granola to make a trail mix (but be wary of dried fruits and too many nuts). You can even go with some yogurt (I'm huge fan of greek yogurt). Try to go for 0%, if you can. The flavoured ones have more sugar, so try to go for plain and then dress it up yourself. Just make sure you portion everything out. Once the snack is gone--it's gone. Bottomless bags lead to unintentional binges.
At the end of the day, this is a short period of time. So long as you keep up your good habits after exams, you'll be fine. Good luck on your exams!0 -
I suppose in the short term you could substitute the snacks for healthier choices and/or plan your consumption in to your calories. In the longer term though, would it be an idea to think about why you're eating and do something about that? I.e. you're eating for comfort rather than hunger, so you could look in to other relaxing, comforting, de-stressing ways of dealing with exam stress.0
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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.0
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Water.
This was what I did when I was studying, this is what I'm doing now when I am concentrating really hard at work to figure out some bug or how to implement a complicated algorithm (I'm a programmer). So what I do is just "hug" a bottle of 1.5l mineral water and sip from it every now and then. It refreshes you, it keeps you full in between meals and it does give you 10-15 seconds of break every now and then.
Also bubble gum. It's proven that chewing on a bubble gum is actually great when studying as it brings more oxygen to your brain, which helps with memorizing and concentrating.
And trust me I'm extremely easily stressed and I have the ability to overwork myself to the point of getting physically sick, but those two help. I'm sure that if I hadn't been doing those two over the past 4-5 years I would have never lost the weight I've lost, but I'd have quadrupled my weight as I am an emotional eater.0 -
I'm a college student myself, and yeah, exams are super stressful. Your school likely has a few things going on to help cut down on the stress. (We have therapy dogs here.)
I will tell you though that all that caffeine is not helping you. It breaks concentration, it doesn't improve it. You may becomemore alert, for instance, but your attention span is sacrificed. My advice is enforce a minimum of 8 hours of sleep tonight. You are a female, so that is your minimum. College age males actually require two more hours of sleep for the same level of alertness.
Do NOT keep sweets and junk food in your dorm room, or room period. You are less likely to have them if them are close at hand. Note that I didn't say in your suite, just your room. Keep a glass of cool water by your side when you study. You'll likely instinctively reach for it. If you already have liquids, you won't be thirsty.
Study outside, in the sun. It's spring, and near enough to summer, it is likely nice enough, where you are, to study. If not, study in the library. The big thing is, basically, don't study near the foods, and even if you aren't tired, lay in the bed with the lights off. You'll be surprised by how fast you actually fall asleep.
Also, study in smaller twenty-thirty minute chunks, stretch, walk a bit, and then back to studying. Breaks shouldn't be longer than about 10 minutes, except to eat.0 -
I suppose in the short term you could substitute the snacks for healthier choices and/or plan your consumption in to your calories. In the longer term though, would it be an idea to think about why you're eating and do something about that? I.e. you're eating for comfort rather than hunger, so you could look in to other relaxing, comforting, de-stressing ways of dealing with exam stress.
I know, long term I really do need to find a way to fight the actual stress. But for now I just need something to save my progress...0 -
Thanks everyone for the advice. I will try and sleep more, but it'll be hard... yes, more fruit and less snacks. I guess I'll just have to make sure that I have enough discipline not to buy those foods. :sad:0
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Plan your meals. Have the whole day planned out, with all your food pre-cooked and portioned out into Tupperwares. That way you can just grab it and go, without having to worry about overeating or getting caught somewhere hungry and cracking and buying pizza.0
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Plan your meals. Have the whole day planned out, with all your food pre-cooked and portioned out into Tupperwares. That way you can just grab it and go, without having to worry about overeating or getting caught somewhere hungry and cracking and buying pizza.
I think that that's exactly what I'm going to do. I'll stay at my dorm, and prepare lunches and dinners for the week. I've never actually done this before during the exams, so that's a great idea0 -
Find healthier foods to satisfy the same craving. Plain popcorn is a great substitute for chips. Try coffee or tea instead of caffinated sodas - just go easy on the milk & sugar. Make sure you eat sensible meals so you're not starving later. And remember that even if you gain some during exams you have not ruined your progress. Take a deep breath and get back on the right track as soon as you can.0
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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!0 -
I LOVE eating while I study. It's become my routine to take tasty snacks with me to the library. It really helps me work to have something nice and salty to nibble on.
I still plan some spare calories over a few days and then bring a big bag of popcorn or something to the library with me. So I definitely understand your problem...0 -
I find when it's study time I want to eat all day long, so it's better to graze on healthy stuff - snack on carrots all day, as many as you want, instead of crisps. Drink tons of water or just go diet with your coke; it's not the healthiest but it is finals week. I like tea while I study.
Important: GET SLEEP. There is always time for sleep. It's a priority. Go to the gym if you can too. Just half an hour of exercise can increase your focus on studying (therefore making you more effective than if you studied straight through) and will help you curb your eating, or at least make room for a little more.
Mostly, don't stress about your diet when you're already stressed about your tests. Stress is bad for you! Try to relax in ways that don't involve food and focus on your sleep and schoolwork for now. It's okay to eat at maintenance too.0 -
During my most recent finals, I ate what seemed like my weight in veggies & pretzels with hummus. Granted, I ate like a bag of pretzels & an entire tub of hummus in day or two of studying, but I still felt better about it than I would be eating an entire pan of brownies, for example.
I try to be realistic around exam time. My focus is my studies and I'm usually on campus for 8+ hours. There's no way I can plan for that & I'll likely be drinking several lattes & eating lunch & dinner from the food court. My cohort & I [I'm a grad student] try to bring snacks for our study-thons, but they're not always healthy. I try to keep from going completely crazy, but I eat what I want & don't feel guilty about it. If I want a cookie or scone that's been brought, that's okay. It's usually just a couple of off days, & after finals are over I'll get back on track. A few days won't destroy all progress, they just might slow it down a little.
Are you a coffee or tea person? Plain, both are caffeinated & calorie free. Even if you add a little milk or sugar to either, it's still probably 100 calories or less. & I also beg you to get more sleep. This comes from a person who regularly gets only 5-6 hours of sleep, but I've found that making sure I'm in bed about midnight every night helps me stay on a better schedule & feel more rested.0 -
I'm about to go into exam mode. I don't really have tips I've just got an eating plan for 6 days a week and have set myself a personal challenge of 50 days of clean eating which ends around my last exam. Dunno if it will help but I think planning it out could mean I can focus most on my studies - more studies, less stress as I'm more prepared!0
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bump0
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Tea, and lots of it. It helps me keep the nagging feeling of wanting to snack at every opportunity when exams/finals are coming up. I drink plenty of tea, isolate myself from food when I'm studying, and eat enough calories every day so I don't snack.0
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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 finals0 -
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 :-D0
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bump! - I have the same issue!0
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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!0
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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!0 -
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 :-)0 -
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.0
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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) :-(0 -
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.0 -
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:0 -
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.0
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Chewing gum has been linked to better concentration. I'm a teacher and do see that it helps some students maintain focus.0
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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...0
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