stress eating

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kmb2522
kmb2522 Posts: 48
in Food and Nutrition
I'm in college and this week and the next 4 weeks are super stressful. I feel like I've been eating so much especially lots of sugar because I've been so stressed. Any suggestions to help stop with the stress eating? I always keep healthy snacks on hand and I work out almost everyday. I feel like at night is when I go crazy help please!

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  • abellante_0205
    abellante_0205 Posts: 368 Member
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    Go for a walk, exercise! This helps me when I'm stressed out, you just need to get out of ur surroundings sometimes and just unwind... dont go for food!
  • xraychick77
    xraychick77 Posts: 1,775 Member
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    exercise
  • sheeleza
    sheeleza Posts: 6
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    make a food journal. seeing what you eat on paper will help. this Food tab is great too.
  • gurlysmiles2001
    gurlysmiles2001 Posts: 53
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    i have the same problem. i feel like i don't even have time to make it to the gym now with school and trying to keep up. the only thing that helps me is if i spend more time at school to study instead of at home. at home i tend to snack more just to keep myself more alert. at school or the library i can focus, and only snack on the foods i pack with me, nuts and dried fruit are great if you have a long class day :)
  • Mamapengu
    Mamapengu Posts: 250
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    I remember that! The habits you set now you will be tempted to revert to when work and life gets stressful in the future. I always wanted crunch! so carrots, grapes, pretzels, add some protein to keep things balanced. String cheese or nuts. Good luck with finals !
  • absolament
    absolament Posts: 278 Member
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    School is tough. Try chewing gum. It'll relieve some stress and also satisfy your taste buds. Also, try your darnedest to get 7 hours of sleep every night. Practice deep breathing when you feel tense...maybe even stream a Netflix yoga video. Good luck!
  • nilisabel
    nilisabel Posts: 338
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    I find breathing exercises helpful. I know it sounds like the opposite of what you want to do when you're stressed out, but that is because of the pathophysiology of anxiety. Say you want a box of cookies or a meaty sandwich or some salt and vinegar chips because you're studying so hard or running around so much with tasks or your mind is just racing because of the stress you are under. I feel you, I get there often. Okay. Sit down. Plant your feet flat on the ground. Feel the firmness of the ground beneath your feet. Breathe in through your nose to a slow count of 4, hold your breath for a slow count of four, breathe out through your nose for a slow count of eight. take a regular breath. Do this 6 times, with a regular breath in between. You will feel a lot better. I have come to the conclusion after much study that CRF (cortical releasing factor), a hormone that initiates the stress response is very closely linked with glucose levels in the blood. When you are stressed, your adrenal glands stimulate your liver to release glycogen, your body breaks it into glucose, and you have enough blood sugar to deal with stress at a moment's notice. But this makes you hungry a short time later, and over time, you develop comfort eating habits. Breathing exercises reduce your body's response to stress by making your brain realize, hey, wait a minute, I don't have to start this process right now because whatever I'm going through is not that dangerous, and it slows down that whole hormone release.
  • nilisabel
    nilisabel Posts: 338
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    Yes, and I watched a sleep study that shows even a little loss of sleep by not sleeping deeply through the night or for enough hours leads to almost pre-diabetic blood sugar levels the morning after, which can make weight management so much harder.
  • MrsNeuman
    MrsNeuman Posts: 76
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    sugar free gum and water! Or if you really want some food I always find an apple and peanut butter very good because it gives my nervous hands something to do! Good luck!
  • Christine1110
    Christine1110 Posts: 1,786 Member
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    Make sure to write down everything you eat....take small steps to get back on track. Exercise any chance you get.

    If there is one thing I regret....it is that I didn't lose my weight when I was younger.....do what ever you can to make yourself a

    priority!!



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