It happens to everyone at one time or another. Stress rises and we end up self soothing with food. And, usually not with the best food choices. Eating during times of stress can help ease emotions – for the short term. In the end, the binge-guilt-binge cycle that can follow brings us down and sabotages our efforts to eat healthy. Here are 5 tips to help you say no to those times you feel like eating your feelings.
Reduce Temptations
Remove unhealthy snack foods from your shopping list. You can reduce your ability to snack on unhealthy foods by keeping them out of your home. When you are shopping, stick to your grocery list of healthy foods, with a good supply of vegetables and fruits. Definitely, skip the trip to the grocery store when you’re feeling hungry or grouchy. I put together some snack options here to help combat stress eating.
Prep To Succeed
Snacking doesn’t have to be bad for you. When stress rises, it’s helpful to have an abundant supply of snack options on hand. Prepare in advance by pre-cutting and portioning healthy options like fruit and grab-and-go veggies. Nuts and unbuttered popcorn are perfect.
Get Savvy With Swaps
When you get a craving for pizza, an alternative is topping zucchini rounds or pita bread with tomato sauce, veggies, and part-skim mozzarella. A taco salad can be more flavorful and satisfying than a big plate of nachos. Top your lettuce with beans, tomatoes, cheese, and fresh salsa. For the sweet tooth, swap in sweet fruit or small size versions of the real thing as a substitute. Banana slices with peanut butter and a few chocolate chips satisfies the sweet tooth and also gives a bit of protein to fill you up.
Work Out Feelings with a Workout
Have you heard of an endorphin rush? There’s more to endorphins than a runner’s high. A good workout triggers the body to produce endorphins that interact with your brain to calm, and even relax, you. After a good workout, the sense of accomplishment is also an amazing mood lifter. Not all workouts have to be intense and tough on the body. Try yoga or Pilates. They’re both low-impact ways to boost endorphins and work up a good sweat. Here are some simple stretches to start your day or if you’re super stressed, try this boxing workout!
Distract Yourself
When you just ate a meal and are still reaching for snacks, take a pause and ask yourself if you’re actually hungry, or are your feelings causing the cravings? Make a list of things you can do to keep you busy until the stress eating urge passes. Some things to try are to take a walk, call a friend, or meditate. Anytime you feel like you’re about to soothe emotions with a snack, drink some water. Often when we feel hungry, the body may actually be trying to alert you that it’s dehydrated.
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