Stress Eating

Options
ReneeEnders
ReneeEnders Posts: 4 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I am a major stress eater (probably better termed emotional eater) and I would love some tips to help manage... I am so bad that when I realize I am doing it I have a healthy and an unhealthy option available but I ALWAYS go for the unhealthy option. What are some things that have worked for you?
«1

Replies

  • jkwolly
    jkwolly Posts: 3,049 Member
    Options
    Putting the fork down?

    But seriously, best thing would be to find out why you're stressed, and work around ways to reduce said stress. Yoga, hot bath, meditation, whatever.

    Don't let your bad willpower ruin your efforts!
  • ravenrainchild
    ravenrainchild Posts: 22 Member
    Options
    FOR ME...Consistently working out has reduced my stress ten fold. I realize I'll always be tempted by the better tasting food but I had switch my thinking to "better feeling food". Meaning, I always ask myself, "How am I going to feel about myself if I eat this ben&jerry's ice cream?" Typically, I'll put it aside what unhealthy food I'm tempted by and opt for a more healthy counterpart.
  • Sydking
    Sydking Posts: 317 Member
    Options
    stress less and dont stuff your face? go for a walk or punch the *kitten* outa something
  • Derpina7
    Derpina7 Posts: 552 Member
    Options
    I struggle with this a lot as well, perhaps more so out of boredom. Keeping busy is the key!
  • Ooci
    Ooci Posts: 247 Member
    Options
    You are genetically built to have this response and you should accept that it's part of what makes you you. It's probably part of you being a lovely, sensitive, caring person. It's completely natural and the less you beat yourself up about it the better it will be.
    I find that the shopping when you aren't stressed is crucial. Know that you will be wanting to comfort eat and plan for it. For me this means going shopping most days and buying something like a 100-200 cal sugary treat. Only one though, or I'm going to eat the whole multi pack. The tiny packs of fruit and nuts are also good.
    If it isn't in the house you can't eat it.

    Exercise is also amazing at releasing happy chemicals that will reduce this habit. You need to find something you love and do it a lot.

    And if you do binge out, it's vital that you say to yourself that it really doesn't matter, just get back on plan as soon as you can. It's so easy to fall into "catastrophic thinking" that you've blown it all, and that attitude is 50 x worse than the binge as it will hamper you in the long term, and it's the long term that counts here.
  • blankiefinder
    blankiefinder Posts: 3,599 Member
    Options
    I think that stress eating is often just a bad habit, often instilled from a young age (here, have a cookie, you'll feel better). I too am a stress eater but I am making a concerted effort to change into a stress exerciser. The endorphins from a good workout do seem to help, and honestly, an hour long workout takes my mind off the stressor longer than a treat that takes one minute to eat.
  • ReneeEnders
    ReneeEnders Posts: 4 Member
    Options
    Lol! Thanks for the perspective blankiefinder!
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Options
    reneeadkins2014 wrote: »
    I am a major stress eater (probably better termed emotional eater) and I would love some tips to help manage... I am so bad that when I realize I am doing it I have a healthy and an unhealthy option available but I ALWAYS go for the unhealthy option. What are some things that have worked for you?

    If you're realising you're doing it then you are consciously choosing the 'unhealthy' option. Make wiser choices.
  • khearron26
    khearron26 Posts: 171 Member
    Options
    I am definitely a stress-eater. I have recently discovered a replacement for all the comforting junk food. When I'm stressed and I want to eat half the candy in my boss's candy bowl, I have a healthy snack instead - but one with higher fat content. For example... I'll have an apple with a nut/seed butter (sunbutter and cashew butter are my favorites). Or I'll have something with avocado. The higher fat content steers me toward feeling more satisfied, and it's the good kind of fat rather than the bad kind from candies and cookies and chips and such.
  • af_wife2004
    af_wife2004 Posts: 149 Member
    Options
    I was just in that boat yesterday. I still eat but try to find healthier alternatives (in my case I wanted a snickers and soda, and had a quest bar and coke zero) and then made a "date" with the gym for after work.
  • sweetteadrinker2
    sweetteadrinker2 Posts: 1,026 Member
    Options
    Stress eating can come from your body needing fuel, or rather, needing sleep. Go take a nap, or don't snack and then go to bed super early.
  • avatarmage
    avatarmage Posts: 9 Member
    Options
    I feel you. I'm in the same exact boat. For me whenever I want to eat something tasty I tell myself I have to go run a mile or exercise for 10 minutes first. Then by the time I'm done a) I'm less stressed and make the decision not to eat and b) I lost a bunch of calories! If I'm still hungry I now have my willpower back to go get a healthier snack. Realizing you don't always have willpower is an important step.
  • jwooley13
    jwooley13 Posts: 243
    Options
    This definitely applies to me as well. There are a couple of different things that have helped. The first (and most obvious) is drinking more water. The second is daily exercise. I used to HATE working out, but lately if I miss the AM gym I'm cranky and snacky all day. The third is to pick up another hobby to keep your hands busy. I spent a couple of months once knitting scarves for all of my friends and it really helped keep me out of the chip bags and popcorn bowls during down time.

    Best of luck!
  • SwankyTomato
    SwankyTomato Posts: 442 Member
    edited January 2015
    Options
    reneeadkins2014 wrote: »
    I am a major stress eater (probably better termed emotional eater) and I would love some tips to help manage... I am so bad that when I realize I am doing it I have a healthy and an unhealthy option available but I ALWAYS go for the unhealthy option. What are some things that have worked for you?

    The things that works for me are

    to not have unhealthy things in the house
    drink hot green tea
    log everything

    Not sure why you have a unhealthy option to start with. I would change that. I have no will to stop myself at the moment though.



  • ReneeEnders
    ReneeEnders Posts: 4 Member
    Options
    khearron26 wrote: »
    I am definitely a stress-eater. I have recently discovered a replacement for all the comforting junk food. When I'm stressed and I want to eat half the candy in my boss's candy bowl, I have a healthy snack instead - but one with higher fat content. For example... I'll have an apple with a nut/seed butter (sunbutter and cashew butter are my favorites). Or I'll have something with avocado. The higher fat content steers me toward feeling more satisfied, and it's the good kind of fat rather than the bad kind from candies and cookies and chips and such.

    I have heard of choosing different options that make you feel full. I never thought about nuts. I will do some research and find the one that works best for me. It's easier to have a bowl of nuts sitting out to snack on rather than those candies ;-)
  • ReneeEnders
    ReneeEnders Posts: 4 Member
    Options
    af_wife2004 wrote: »
    I was just in that boat yesterday. I still eat but try to find healthier alternatives (in my case I wanted a snickers and soda, and had a quest bar and coke zero) and then made a "date" with the gym for after work.

    I am a nursing mom still so fake sugars are out if the question. I loved diet coke before I was pregnant but I never felt "fulfilled" with a drink when it came to stress eating.
  • NixThea
    NixThea Posts: 2 Member
    Options
    Stress eater and ex smoker here. I find that coffee or tea works really well, but I sometimes catch myself picking my face if im stressed or bored. :|
  • DeWoSa
    DeWoSa Posts: 496 Member
    edited January 2015
    Options
    I used to be an emotional eater. I really had to change my entire eating framework. The first thing I did to change was have a food plan. When I know exactly what I am going to eat all day long, it's much easier to not aimlessly graze or eat over stress. Now if I turn to food in times of stress, I just eat my next meal (or part of it).

    There were a lot of times I just had to sit with my feelings, which sucked. It's so much easier to cover over feelings with delicious delicious chocolate, but my binging was so out of control that I knew I had to make a major change or just keep ballooning until I died in my bed and have to have a crane take me out the window and lower me into a grand piano sized casket.
  • avskk
    avskk Posts: 1,789 Member
    Options
    I keep foods I know I can't resist when I'm emotional out of the house. Opinions will vary on this method -- lots and lots of people here will tell you that eliminating food isn't the way to go and that you should develop willpower instead. It's good advice and I'm not knocking it. However... for me, as a fellow emotional eater, I can tell you that keeping the trigger foods out of the house works a thousand times better than trying to suddenly have an iron will.

    If you do choose to eliminate your emotion-foods, I really encourage you to visit a therapist or a few Overeaters Anonymous sessions, as well as work on developing other coping strategies. The goal should be to give yourself a break from temptation and use that time to build a healthier relationship with food, not to eliminate those foods forever and always.
  • tulips_and_tea
    tulips_and_tea Posts: 5,717 Member
    Options
    reneeadkins2014 wrote: »
    khearron26 wrote: »
    I am definitely a stress-eater. I have recently discovered a replacement for all the comforting junk food. When I'm stressed and I want to eat half the candy in my boss's candy bowl, I have a healthy snack instead - but one with higher fat content. For example... I'll have an apple with a nut/seed butter (sunbutter and cashew butter are my favorites). Or I'll have something with avocado. The higher fat content steers me toward feeling more satisfied, and it's the good kind of fat rather than the bad kind from candies and cookies and chips and such.

    I have heard of choosing different options that make you feel full. I never thought about nuts. I will do some research and find the one that works best for me. It's easier to have a bowl of nuts sitting out to snack on rather than those candies ;-)

    This does work for some people, but IMO it only works if you are mindful about what you are eating and how you feel. If you are stress-eating and just ingesting whatever in large quantities, be careful about substituting higher calorie foods unless you are going to slow down, savor the nuts, and pay attention to when you are actually satisfied. (however as a nursing mom perhaps this doesn't apply to you right now)

Categories