Stress brought on by dieting is added to the personal and work life stresses that we face every day, often resulting in a “vicious cycle” of increased stress and increased food intake. People under stress tend to engage in self-defeating and unhealthy behaviors such as binge eating and there is strong biologic evidence that stressed-out people may tend to put on the pounds faster. “Because I am stressed, I choose to eat.” Often times people complain that their overeating is due to workplace or personal stress. If you suffer from the same dilemma, read these helpful pointers for controlling your stress-induced overeating and ridding yourself of an unhealthy habit.
Practice waiting. Be strong when hunger hits and deny yourself instant gratification. Tell yourself you’ll wait 10 to 30, minutes to eat. If in fact your cravings are derived from your stress level, there is a good chance that they will go away when you become distracted by something else.
Keep a log of everything that you eat throughout the day. Keeping a mental note that you have to record every little thing that you eat may be a good method to deter yourself from eating as often.
Enlist a friend’s help – ideally one who also is tempted by stress-related cravings. Be sure to call or write a brief note to them as soon as you start craving food.
Keep yourself nourished. Eat regular, healthy snacks to maintain your energy level. Eating irregularly and missing meals while dealing with stress will only make you eat excessively and unhealthily whenever you do decide to eat.
Write yourself some simple reminders and leave them where you think you are likely to have stress-related cravings. Write yourself any messages that will best deter you from eating. Examples might be “Are you really hungry?” or “Think about why you’re eating.”
Rid your work and home of food that may tempt you. Never go shopping while hungry and always make a list of food items prior to shopping; bring home only what you feel good about eating.
Spend some time with yourself each day. Whether it’s 10 minutes to reflect and relax, or whether it’s some fun activity that will revitalize you, it’s critical to do it. Health is not just physical, mental well-being is just as important, you deserve to mentally de-stress everyday!
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