Hello my name is Katy and I am a stress eater. I have always been, but now I fight to end the trend for myself and others…
It started when I was about nine.
I remember being in elementary school and being teased lightly for my weight. I knew that I was a little heavy and didn’t look like the others girls in my class. I remember a conversation with mom; she talked about how being a “good person” didn’t mean you had to be “thin.” But in my mind, happiness was a direct connection to weight.
As I grew, my weight continued to fluctuate. My eating habits worsened throughout my teenage years and into college. But I remember emotions always being connected to food.
Break ups- 5 pounds up.
Finals- add five pounds.
My wedding… add close to ten.
The truth is this is still a struggle for me. It is something that now as an adult I can acknowledge. I am aware of it, and that has been a powerful tool in keeping my weight off for nearly three years.
However, last month was hard. There was business stress and personal stress. No matter how much personal development I was reading or how intense my workouts were. I couldn’t seem to drop the fork.
So as I approach the holidays and the emergence of skinny jeans from the closet, it seems to be an appropriate time to get real with myself, hold myself accountable and help others who are feeling me do exactly the same.
Let’s start by talking about my top five tips for stopping the stress before it starts.
1. Figure out the trigger
The truth is, with stress eating, most of the times you are eating without real knowledge that you are doing it! Be on the lookout for patterns. Identify these triggers. Is it stress? Boredom? Or are you suppressing something deeper?
- Anger
- Fear
- Anxiety
Before you reach for the bag of Doritos, ask yourself, why do I really want this? Learn how to pause in these situations so that you can ask yourself why do I really want this?
2. Ask yourself, “Am I really hungry?”
Before reaching for something to eat, as yourself, “Am I really hungry?” What most people don’t realize is that emotional hunger is sudden! Emotional hunger is specific to a type of food: salt or sugar. Instead of thinking about the hunger, make a deal with yourself. Drink a glass of water or tea first, and if the hunger is there after you’ve done this, you will have more power to reach for something health because you’ve thought it over.
Lightheadedness and irritability are signs of real hunger.
3. Get distracted
Are you really hungry? OR are you just stressed and bored. STEP AWAY from the fridge! The best thing you can do is “DO!” That’s right get outside. Go for a walk. Play with the kids! Do some yoga and find your breath.
4. Exercise
It does wonders! It produces endorphins and reduces stress naturally. It also makes you feel less compelled to unravel the hard work you’ve done with a piece of cake! It refocuses your mind on new goals!
5. Catch some sleep!
Eight hours a night…eight. How many hours of sleep a night are you getting? Lack of sleep is directly linked to stress. It directly affects when you feel hungry!So when you don’t get enough sleep, it makes it hard for you to fight cravings and causes you to keep eating.
So the next time you feel hungry, think twice about these stress eating habits and see if your cravings fall into one of these categories!
Beginning on October 19th, I am personally mentoring 10 women who struggle with emotional eating. This group is designed to help you achieve your health and fitness goals but first break it down to some of those triggers.
It’s a 30 day group designed to help you get back to your personal best. After all, it’s not about calories burned as much as it is confidence and clarity gained.
