We are all adjusting to the new normal. Stay-at-home orders are changing the way we communicate, exercise, work and eat. All of these sudden changes and the need to adapt quickly can be stressful. So I thought it would be a good time to talk about stress and how to cope. You might be surprised to learn that anxiety and stress can manifest themselves in your eating patterns, something commonly known as emotional eating or stress eating.
What is stress eating?
Stress eating, or emotional eating, is exactly what its name suggests, when you eat to forget about bad feelings you’re experiencing, hoping that the food will make you feel better.
Sometimes it’s a conscious decision, but often it’s a spur-of-the-moment decision made in the hopes of dealing with negative emotions you don’t know what’s causing them. Stress and boredom can lead to emotional eating, especially when you’re stuck at home and surrounded by food all day. Whether you’re ordering in a favorite meal that’s a little more calorie-dense than your regular meals or cooking at home with limited ingredients, chances are you’re developing eating habits that are different from what you’re used to.
Stress can cause fatigue or sadness, so healthy foods become less appealing than tasty foods. Tasty, high-calorie foods trigger the release of certain chemicals in the brain that make you feel good, but they also make you want to eat more. Overeating can lead to weight gain, which adds to stress, and when you’re stressed, you overeat – a vicious cycle that we want to avoid.
What is the best way to prevent stress eating?
The most important thing everyone can do right now is to take the best care of themselves and practice good eating habits to stay healthy . Here are my tips on how to stop emotional eating.
Accept your own feelings
You know that emotions can trigger stress eating, so why not acknowledge them? It’s okay to feel down, lonely or bored sometimes. The feelings may be bad, but they’re not harmful, and you don’t have to “fix” them. Allow the emotions to come and go without dwelling on them.
Find alternatives to eating
A brisk walk or a cup of herbal tea may be more de-stressing than a meal. If you feel the need to eat, try eating a hard, crunchy snack, which can help relieve stress by moving your jaw muscles. Snack on almonds, a handful of nuts, or baby carrots.
Eat on time and don’t skip meals.
Eat on time. When you’re stressed, you may delay or even skip meals. This can cause your energy levels to drop significantly, and you may end up overeating at your next meal. If stress is killing your appetite, try eating smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day.
Cut down on caffeine
People often feel low on energy when stressed and turn to the caffeine in energy drinks, which can disrupt their sleep at night. If caffeine keeps you up at night, try decaffeinated coffee and tea instead.
Practice mindful eating
Eating mindfully means that you make an effort to be aware of your body’s cues of hunger and fullness. You also need to be aware of what makes you want to eat. Eating mindfully will help you avoid overeating and allow you to enjoy food more, even if you eat less. You’ll also be more mindful of what you choose to eat.
During times like these, you shouldn’t restrict what you eat, but rather focus on eating the most nutritious foods possible to get the best nutrition and boost your immune system. This pandemic has undoubtedly made all of us more stressed, but learning how to manage stress will make you, your loved ones, and those around you stronger.