How To Stop Stress-Eating

No matter where we are in life, we all experience some type of stress in one way or another. When this occurs, we often look for something to comfort us, and for a lot of us, food is always there.

Stress-eating is incredibly common and is one of the main reasons people over-eat. Eating when we are stressed provides us with a distraction and immediate satisfaction. This is a very unhealthy habit to have, but there are ways to prevent it.

Here are six ways you can stop stress-eating.

Even the smallest of workouts will help prevent stress-eating! When you build up a sweat by moving your body you release endorphins which help reduce stress.

It has been shown that those who eat following a workout end up eating less than those who have been resting. With that in mind, try to make exercise a regular part of your day.

We often tend to stress-eat when all we are doing is fixating on the one thing (e.g. work, a personal problem, studies etc) in our mind. A great way to combat this is by keeping your body busy. This doesn't necessarily just mean excercise though. 

Any type of activity that keeps your body, or at least your hands busy for a short period of time can help you calm down and forget about food. Do something you enjoy, for example, play an instrument, paint, skip, draw, or any type of exercise. The world is your oyster.

Out of sight, out of mind. If junk food isn't readily available for you to indulge in when you are stressed, then you will be forced to start creating healthier habits.

Instead, fill your pantry and fridge with healthy whole foods. You can go the extra step and clean up your kitchen entirely too, as a clean environment has been linked to a healthier mind.

Just one minute of focused breathing can help prevent food cravings when stressed. When you feel yourself losing control, try to gather your thoughts for one minute and take long, deep breaths.

Focusing on every breath will take your mind off the stress and will in-turn help keep the stress-eating at bay.

You shouldn't go through a day feeling hungry. To help stop yourself from stress-eating late in the afternoon, make sure you are consistently eating throughout the day, especially when you are hungry!

Ensuring you have a filling and nutritious breakfast is a great way to start the day, and don't think that snacks are the enemy. There are plenty of low-calorie, enjoyable snacks you can have to keep you moving like blueberries and nuts.