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I eat when I'm stressed
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nikehi posted:
why does this happen
3 Replies |Watch This Discussion | Report This| Share this:I eat when I'm stressedwhy does this happen
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TotallyWiggedOut responded:
Sweety, they don't call it "comfort food" for nothing. Some people go to overeating and some go the exact opposite when stressed, and can't eat a thing.
It's truly a control problem. When stressed "everything feels out of control" and you focus on the whole big picture of everything happening in your life all at once, but you lose focus of the individual things that are going on. Like when you sit down with a bag of chips or a big bowl of icecream and zone out , then come to and wonder how the heck you ate a whole bag of chips. LOL.
You need to take some time out if you can. Just take a half hour a day and do something like sitting in the park watching kids play or go to a movie, just you all by yourself. No popcorn no pop no candy. But the thing is, whatever you are going to do for that time. FOCUS just on that. Don't think about the bills, your relationships, your kids, the housework, NOTHING like that. Take a walk and make sure your literally stop to smell the flowers reach up and feel the leaves on the trees, whatever you can to help you relax that doesn't have anything to do with food.
Diet and Exercise go hand in hand----
Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there. - Will Rogers
Report This| Share this:I eat when I'm stressedSweety, they don't call it "comfort food" for nothing. Some people go to overeating and some go the exact opposite when stressed, and can't eat a thing. <br />It's truly a control problem. When stressed "everything feels out of control" and you focus on the whole big picture of everything happening in your life all at once, but you lose focus of the individual things that are going on. Like when you sit down with a bag of chips or a big bowl of icecream and zone out , then come to and wonder how the heck you ate a whole bag of chips. LOL. <br />You need to take some time out if you can. Just take a half hour a day and do something like sitting in the park watching kids play or go to a movie, just you all by yourself. No popcorn no pop no candy. But the thing is, whatever you are going to do for that time. FOCUS just on that. Don't think about the bills, your relationships, your kids, the housework, NOTHING like that. Take a walk and make sure your literally stop to smell the flowers reach up and feel the leaves on the trees, whatever you can to help you relax that doesn't have anything to do with food.
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Haylen_WebMD_Staff responded:
Stress eating is a challenge for me - if only food didn't give me such a feeling of pleasure! This article has a good outline of what causes stress eating as well as techniques to help:

Stress-Proof Eating

And this is one of my favorite articles on the site - some good tools to use when you are feeling stressed out:

Ten Relaxation Techniques To Reduce Stress Now

I hope you have a stress-free day of healthy eating!

Haylen
Report This| Share this:I eat when I'm stressedStress eating is a challenge for me - if only food didn't give me such a feeling of pleasure! This article has a good outline of what causes stress eating as well as techniques to help: <br /><br /><a href="http://www.webmd.com/parenting/fun-and-fit-family-11/stress-proof-eating">Stress-Proof Eating</a> <br /><br />And this is one of my favorite articles on the site - some good tools to use when you are feeling stressed out: <br /><br /><a href="http://www.webmd.com/balance/stress-management/features/blissing-out-10-relaxation-techniques-reduce-stress-spot">Ten Relaxation Techniques To Reduce Stress Now</a> <br /><br />I hope you have a stress-free day of healthy eating! <br /><br />Haylen
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Pamela Peeke, MD, MPH, FACP responded:
Hi and thanks so much for your posting. I studied the stress-fat connection in my NIH lab for years. We now understand how and why this happens. It turns out that stress hormone (cortisol) levels decrease somewhat when you eat sugary/fatty/starchy foods. It's like you're medicating yourself, numbing yourself from a reality that is painful. The problem is that the temporary relief (I call it anesthesia) from your stress is soon over and then you feel worse--- you have the stress as well as a new stress of binging. People eat under stress because they are seeking pleasure and relief. Sugary/fatty/starchy foods do just that.

Next time you're stressed, think HALT. H= are you really hungry? If you please eat something healthy. A= are you angry or anxious or upset? L= are you lonely? T= are you feeling tired? Always ask yourself these questions because they help root you in the present and reality. Then, you can start to seek better, non-eating, ways to adapt and adjust to stress. I note this in my book Body for Life for Women. Meditation and physical activity, as well as great support from friends and family help you as well.

Good luck!

Dr. Peeke
Report This| Share this:I eat when I'm stressedHi and thanks so much for your posting. I studied the stress-fat connection in my NIH lab for years. We now understand how and why this happens. It turns out that stress hormone (cortisol) levels decrease somewhat when you eat sugary/fatty/starchy foods. It's like you're medicating yourself, numbing yourself from a reality that is painful. The problem is that the temporary relief (I call it anesthesia) from your stress is soon over and then you feel worse--- you have the stress as well as a new stress of binging. People eat under stress because they are seeking pleasure and relief. Sugary/fatty/starchy foods do just that. <br /><br />Next time you're stressed, think HALT. H= are you really hungry? If you please eat something healthy. A= are you angry or anxious or upset? L= are you lonely? T= are you feeling tired? Always ask yourself these questions because they help root you in the present and reality. Then, you can start to seek better, non-eating, ways to adapt and adjust to stress. I note this in my book Body for Life for Women. Meditation and physical activity, as well as great support from friends and family help you as well. <br /><br />Good luck!<br /><br />Dr. Peeke
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