Are you struggling with stress eating and looking for ways to overcome it? You’re not alone. Women tend to turn to food during times of stress, and it can be challenging to break the cycle. Today I’ll share some helpful tips for stress eating and strategies to promote a healthier relationship with food.

Tips for Stress Eating

1. Night time overeating.
   Does your stress eating happen at night? First question to ask yourself is, did you eat enough today? Have you been eating light all day, and your stress/boredom hits you at night? This causes you to feel ravenous at night. It’s possible what you think it a craving, is actually your body telling you you are still hungry. Chances are you have had a great day of healthy, low-calorie foods, and now, you are still hungry. Don’t be afraid of having an actual snack, or small meal before bed time. Especially when doing this can curb the hunger, and you eat something of substance instead of an entire bag of chips or roll of cookies.
2. Black and white food choices.
   It’s important to allow for your favorite foods to be a part of your regular diet, as completely eliminating them can lead to cravings and overeating. Practice moderation and balance in your food choices and try not to label foods as “good” or “bad”. Remember that all foods can fit into a healthy lifestyle.
3. Develop healthier habits to manage your stress.
   Instead of turning to food when stressed, try to develop healthier habits that actually deal with the stress you’ve got going on. It has to be realistic and practical FOR YOU. A bath or going for a walk aren’t practical tips for busy moms in the thick of it all.
4. Notice your patterns.
   When does this usually happen? How can you get ahead of your stressful situations? Can you prepare more meals ahead of time? Can you mentally go in with a different attitude? Over the next few weeks, take note of when you find yourself stress eating. Knowing your patterns can help you identify why you’re doing it and can help you with a plan of attack to combat it.
5. Get professional help.
   You might have been putting this off long enough, but you probably need to deal with the actual stress. Talk to someone professionally to help you with better coping mechanisms in general, not just regarding stress eating.

If this is helpful for you, and provide a few tips for stress eating, let me know!

Visit part two of this blog post, eating healthy when stressed!