PREVENTING STRESS EATING WHEN YOU'RE STUCK AT HOME
So let's be honest. How many of us are guilty of emotional eating? Yesterday, when my daughter called and opened the conversation with, "Ma, don't freak out." I immediately freaked out and then carried the phone over to the pantry closet.
I opened it, and realized I had just eaten breakfast so I wasn't hungry at all and if I'm being really honest, there wasn't much in there treat wise except for dog treats. And...I'm not quite at that point yet.
Anyway, it is all too easy to self-medicate with food during times of extreme stress because it is a comfort to us. Dopamine (as well as other hormones) which is known as the "feel good" or "pleasure" hormone is released when we choose foods that tend to comfort us.
But this is a temporary fix and the long-term effects could lead to excess weight gain. Which doesn't feel so good and could damage your overall health especially if you're gaining that weight around your mid-section.
One way to help prevent stress eating is exercise! Because the same feel good hormones released during comfort food eating are also released during and after a workout.
In the moment you might think, "what's so pleasurable about exercise?" But it's a no brainer due to the multiple positive effects it can create. You get double for your effort. The feel good hormones kicking in to fight off over-eating. And, burning calories at the same time instead of an increase of unneeded calories.
Another strategy is to clean out those cabinets and free them of junk food. Besides working from home, what else have you got to do? Sorry. Too soon? Seriously though, refer back to my opening of this blog about how there was nothing in my pantry.
In our "old" lives, if you're trying to lose weight this was a recommended tactic but let's face it, if we wanted to just hop in our car and go seek out the comfort foods we were out of, it was easy and we could do it without thinking twice. Now, not so much.
While that simple freedom has been taken away from us like so many others, maybe we can turn it around and think on the bright side. Maybe NOW is the time to focus more on better healthful eating habits since food, while there is thankfully no shortage, is not just always at our fingertips. At least for the time-being.
Another way, is to stay hydrated! Not only does water help flush away toxins but also can help you feel full when your brain is trying to trick you into feeling hungry when in fact you probably are not.
Lastly for today's blog purpose (there are many other ways), stick to a schedule. If you were working outside your home like pre-corona days, you were most likely on a schedule. There should be no difference now. It's all a mind-game. Remember your schedule from before and implement it now at home!
Oops sorry, I meant this one to be last. Give yourself a break! Just like any other time. One mess-up is not an excuse for total derailment. If you stress eat one day just forget it, and try to do better the next day. As our lives have been turned upside down sometimes the feel good hormones we get from food is exactly what we need. As long as it doesn't become a habit! 😉
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