Breaking anxiety eating - any ideas?

AnnaMoscrop · July 2019

Help! I’ve got a lot of work stress at the moment and turn to unhealthy food to make me “feel better” I am motivated to lose weight but the compulsion is strong. Any ideas how to break this cycle??

tinkerbellang83 · July 2019

Finding tools to manage the stress in a different way, it's something I struggle with myself.

For me I am finding hypnosis, meditation and journaling very useful to counter my binge-eating. Other people find group therapy, counselling or CBT helpful.

bametels · July 2019

Exercise is an excellent stress buster! When you exercise your body produces endorphins which naturally reduce stress and improve your mood. Of course, burning calories is another benefit.

seltzermint555 · July 2019

I know this isn't a good solution for everyone and may not apply to you. But for me a big help is eliminating all snacking. I am strict about eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but very rarely snack in between meals - only when I have gotten a significant amount of extra exercise and/or feel truly hungry at an odd time. This seems to help me because I choose my foods more carefully for each meal and it also puts a little buffer of time in between some stressful situations and my next "scheduled" mealtime. May sound a bit silly, but it does help. This is also a good case for me in planning my week's meals ahead of time rather than just winging it. I can totally see myself having a stressful week and no real plan in place and just eating a lot of junk! So I always have a game plan and stick to it about 95% of the time. Indulgences are definitely still there but with them being a little more planned, it's better controlled.

FWIW I have lifelong generalized anxiety and my stress levels go through the roof at times due to minor or major things happening in my life. So I do know the urge to self-medicate with food and drink! In years past I used to literally speed to Starbucks after any stressful work meeting to get a mocha...it's a thing, and I get it.

Ellevated · July 2019

Hi there. Recoverer of GAD, OCD and an eating disorder right here! I empathise.

As with any compulsion, the more you accommodate it, the more room it occupies. Two of the things I've found to be helpful in this kind of situation are 1) Be mindful and 2) Shift the focus.

1) Notice when you feel that urge to reach for the food as a response to stress. Acknowledge it. If you try to push it away it will likely push back, so give yourself a moment to accept that it's there and if you notice any critical thoughts about having this compulsion, just notice that too and remember that it's ok. Meet those thoughts with something kinder and more reassuring. Notice what is driving this urge (whatever is stressing you out).

2) Ask yourself something like, "What do I really need/want right now?" Or, "What am I really hungry for?" Then note down whatever comes to mind. If you keep doing this you might notice a pattern, but it's ok if not.

Consider, "How else can I fulfil this need or desire?" Do that instead, or add it to your schedule so you know that it's coming up soon. Incorporate more of these things into your daily life.

I hope you find this useful.

SpinforCals · July 2019

Thanks for sharing all the great info

Versicolour · July 2019

bametels wrote: »

Exercise is an excellent stress buster! When you exercise your body produces endorphins which naturally reduce stress and improve your mood. Of course, burning calories is another benefit.

I just had a thought. I am a big stress eater myself. The more stressed I am, the more gnawing hunger I feel and the more I eat. After exercise I just don't feel hungry. I could have gone in really hungry and in my head I know I should be hungry for breakfast or supper or whatever meal it is time for, but I'm not. Weird

HappyEC · July 2019

For decades I also reached for food to deal with stress, and I’m here to tell you that you can overcome this cycle with practice and time. After trying a little bit of everything, I’ve built up my resilience to where - so far - I can overcome the impulse to cope with food.

Tips to build on what others have said:
- Chewing gum in moments of anxiety or stress can be calming in a deep sensory way and take the edge off the anxiety. (Nothing to do with hunger - just stress.)
- Practice catching yourself as you automatically reach for food and ask, “What emotion am I trying to avoid?” Even the realisation of why you’re about to eat can give you enough pause to find a different coping method.
- Practice overcoming any emotion before you allow yourself to snack/eat more portions/mindlessly eat. This is about you hitting the brakes and being sure you’re eating for the right reasons - and it’s also reinforcing the distancing of food from emotion. E.g. say you find yourself going back for more and more pizza. After you take a moment, maybe you realise it’s been a long, terrible day and you want to let it all go by filling up. This is where I would suggest telling yourself you can have it - after you’ve stepped away and tried another coping method. I’m at the point where I can stop myself and reset even if I’m ravenous, so anything is possible!

It’s hard to cope without food when it has reliably distracted you or been the only bright spot or been an automatic reflex. But if you can keep practicing, even after lapses, and remind yourself that using food to cope actually doesn’t make anything better overall, you can move on from it. Kia kaha 💪

Breaking anxiety eating - any ideas?

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