Strategies to Overcome Stress Eating

Written by Cassie Vanderwall, MS RD LDN CPT

When many become hungry, angry, lonely, tired, or face any other uncomfortable emotion they begin the search. Most begin at what is within arm’s reach- food. It is not uncommon in today’s day and age to meet many emotional eaters. Emotional eating can be defined as the practice of eating large amounts of food in response to feelings, or emotions, instead of hunger. Experts believe that up to 50% of the American population uses food to suppress, or distract, themselves from emotions, and for some this may manifest itself as a binge-eating disorder.

There is no doubt that food can be addicting, and it should come as no surprise that many of the foods that individuals turn to cause changes in the brain that keep us coming back for more. Certain foods have chemical compounds that target the Hedonic system, or the brain’s reward circuit, which is responsible for attentional bias. Attentional bias is the amount of attention paid to highly rewarding stimuli at the expense of other stimuli. Food has the potential to increase dopamine in the brain by 150 to 300%.

Emotional eating can not only sabotage weight management efforts, but also create a poor way of dealing with life’s stressors. Therefore, it is important to intervene with strategies on how to break free through the following practices:

  • Journaling– Explore situation and feelings by writing down the experience.
  • Find a friend– Identify a safe person to contact when the temptation to eat emotionally arises.
  • Mindfully meditate– Use visualizations of peaceful surroundings and experiences, or empowering mantras to settle the anxiety.
  • Breathe deeply– Practice breathing exercises to blow away the worry and stress.
  • Relax the body– Partake in a non-food activity to relax the body and distract the mind, such as taking a bath, performing yoga, reading a book, exercising, or taking a nap.

 There are many more skills that can be added to this list.  It is vital to encourage individuals to identify what works best for them.

 At an emotional time of need, food is typically not what a person needs, so it is important to create room to explore and identify what the need is and how to truly soothe and satisfy the soul.

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Stephanie Hofhenke

Stephanie Hofhenke

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