Strategies to Prevent Stress Eating

Stress levels often rise during the holiday season, so this week we'd like to share our top strategies for preventing stress eating.

When you're under stress, your body produces higher levels of cortisol, a hormone that tends to make you crave sweet and salty food. 

However, if you can learn to tune in to your physical hunger signals, you can distinguish physical hunger from emotional hunger and learn to prevent stress eating. 

HERE ARE OUR TOP SIX STRATEGIES:

RECOGNIZE WHEN YOU'RE STRESSED

Clenched teeth, hunched shoulders, headaches and shallow breathing can all be signs of stress.

RATE YOUR HUNGER

Give your hunger a rating on a scale of 0 to 10, with 0 being not hungry at all and 10 being starved. If your hunger is at a 0 or 1, wait to eat until the rating moves up. If you are at a 9 or 10, you have waited too long; when we are overly hungry, we're much more likely to overeat.

FOCUS ON CHOICE

Notice what is going on for you physically, mentally and emotionally that led to your choice to eat. Take a moment to reflect on what you are about to eat. Ask yourself if this is really what you want to put in your body.

LEARN FROM THE PAST

If the last time you were stressed, you ate an entire bag of cookies and then felt guilty, eating only added to your stress. This time, take some steps to control portions, like buying only one cookie instead of a dozen.

ENJOY THE EXPERIENCE

Slow down and savor the tastes, smells and textures of your food. You will feel satisfied and comforted sooner. Pay attention to where you're at, so that it's not just about the food, but more about the experience.

FIND ALTERNATIVES

If you find that you're overly stressed, look for ways other than food to reduce your stress. Options include: seeking help from a therapist, confiding in a friend, writing in a journal, and working out. Exercise has been proven to reduce feelings of stress & anxiety, so if you're not already exercising five days a week, make a commitment to increase your activity level.