How to Stop Stress Eating

For many people, it’s easy to tuck into a bowl of mac and cheese or binge on ice cream when you’re feeling stressed. Unfortunately, eating when you’re emotional can become a vicious cycle that’s hard to break out of. The next time you find yourself in a stressful situation, try to incorporate these 8 healthy habits into your feel-better routine:

1. First and foremost, take a minute to breathe. Meditation and positive affirmations can help relax your mind and body. Or get some exercise to release endorphins to release stress.
2. Make sure you’re feeding yourself foods that are well-balanced and full of healthy fats.
3. Try to keep a regular schedule so that you don’t find yourself overeating if you’ve missed a meal.
4. Sometimes dehydration can disguise itself as hunger. Reach for a glass of water first.
5. Keep healthy snacks on hand, like fruit or nuts.
6. Don’t forget to rest up! Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep a night.
7. Use the buddy system—it helps to have someone keep you in check.
8. Limit alcohol and caffeine consumption. Their diuretic qualities can trigger feelings of hunger, not to mention interfere with a good night’s sleep.

Just like proper nutrition and exercise, reducing stress is vital to living a healthy life. Our Online Health Coach can help you set and manage goals to help you look and feel your best.