Question

How do you move past the stress eating? I keep sabotaging myself when stressed.  

Answer 1

So my WW meeting leader or whatever you call the person that runs the WW group meetings said something a few weeks ago that has basically shut down my emotional eating. She told us a story about her own inclination to stress eat especially after she hung up the phone with one of her family members that she thought was nuts and who really stressed her out and upset her. She said one day it dawned on her that she could hang up the phone with this family member, react to being stressed out by the family member and eat a bag of cookies but after it was all said and done that particular family member was still crazy and the cookies had not fixed anything. It’s so true. I don’t know why that resonated with me as much as it did but for the first time in my life I actually saw the futility in anxious and stressed eating. I am so guilty of doing it in the past and you know what, it has never once fixed any of the situations that cause me anxiety, stress or emotional distress. I hope this helps you!  

Comments

@nomism wow so true! All this stress hanging around me is family related and no matter how hard I try to fix it, no one is listening. All I do is eat it away and fall deeper in the depths of cookies

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@fao I can relate to that! Especially the frustration of no one listening. It’s so hard to resist eating something that makes us feel better even if it’s short-lived. You can though. If I can, you can. Trust me!  

Answer 2

Go for a walk instead. Drink 8 glasses of water each day.  

Answer 3

I keep telling myself that its just a bad habit. I can make new habits. Like going for a nice jog alone when I'm stressed. It hasn't worked yet. I still crave that pint of Rocky road. But I'm still trying.  

Answer 4

Try to focus on something else. I go for a walk, or clean the house with the music very loud. Something to distract me. It doesn’t always work but it does sometimes and I’m slowly changing my habits.  

Answer 5

Manage and prepare for snacking. As many 0 point foods as you can. boiled eggs, grapes already washed and off the stem, packaged slice apples, etc.  

Answer 6

Workout-distract yourself with something. Wait 15-20 minutes. It will pass

Answer 7

Have stuff ready: apples cooked with Splenda and maple extract. Ole wraps cut into strips sprinkled with bagel seasoning and baked. Try to wait 10 min. Sometimes it will work, sometimes it won't. Be kind to yourself and keep trying!  

Answer 8

Go for a quick walk or find a hobby to go to.  

Answer 9

Make sure there aren’t things around to stress eat. I cleared out my drawers at work, and only have a few pre-portioned snacks around in my pantry at home. The inconvenience of having to find something to stress eat has helped curb my stress eating. I also agree with finding something else, I literally coach myself through what I’m feeling and then consciously make a decision to not stress eat. The control and power alone in this has been a great stress reliever.  

Answer 10

These are great suggestions from everyone that posted. But I want to mention one more step and that’s to reflect on the time and consider what you might be able to do differently. I know that’s not always possible but it will help some of the times. Find a support buddy or group!  

Answer 11

I like some popcorn- i put 1/4 cup in a brown bag and microwave it using the popcorn setting (1 1/2 - 2 minutes is good)- put a little sea salt and either pam or a little olive oil (heart healthy)

Answer 12

Podcast- weight loss made real. Super helpful for me  

Answer 13

i too have all the theories. putting them into action is my problem. and i can always find something to comfort eat.  

Answer 14

Try doing something to keep your hands busy—knitting, crochet, quilting.  

Answer 15

Get out of the house!  

Answer 16

Most of these suggestions don't address the issue: the stress or the emotional stressor behind it. When you can tackle that you can get ahead of the problem. I made a sign on a piece of paper that says "Don't eat your emotions. " That makes me stop to reflect on what is bothering me.  

Answer 17

Get more sleep, walk more and start a journal. All wonderful ways to decrease stress. If you are a person of faith, turn to reading your Bible. If you pray, there is no need to worry. Good luck. Never give up.  

Answer 18

Ask yourself if eating this or that is going to solve the problem!  

Answer 19

You can do this

Answer 20

Not buying the junk food so I can’t see it. If I have to go get it then it’s easier to talk myself out if it.  

Answer 21

Old habits are hard to break! Find a before and after picture and post it on the fridge. Take your blood pressure instead. Put on pants that no longer fit you because you lost. Go for a walk , better yet in the rain( more dramatic)if available. Remind yourself how hard you’ve worked! Good luck.  

Answer 22

Find an out. Like deep breathing or if you can listen to relaxing music like piano also walking just to get your mind to relax. Writing down what stresses you and trying to figure out how to make it better or solutions. YOU CAN DO IT!  

Answer 23

I eat a few peanuts or have a apple with Carmel. Totally better than eating what I would normally.  

Answer 24

If you find out, let me in on the secret. Right now I just identify the stressors and yell at myself that I am not hungry, I am just attacking food instead of the real problem and creating a health problem for myself by not addressing the real problem. Then I have a glass of water and either walk or dance myself out of the rage eating.  

Comments

@salespeople or a glass if herbal tea which is usually sweet enough without any sweetener.  

Answer 25

And then I address the problem

Answer 26

Mine isn’t stress it’s ALL the food everyone brought to work to share today it is ALL junk food!  

Answer 27

Buy fruit trays or veggie trays to share

Answer 28

I have been journaling about what triggers me to want to make poor food choices; including stress. It helps me.  

Answer 29

Slice thick carrots thinly, it helps with my mindless eating/snacking. Not exactly a bowl of chips but it works for me.  

Answer 30

Air popped corn for me. It's zero points on purple. It's crunchy, salty and you can shovel it in by the handful to get over that aaaarrrggggrrrr moment. LOL

Answer 31

Work on “why you are doing this”. You need the right mindset and determination then you can and will do it!  

Answer 32

Address the problem also self sabotage is a learned behavior. You can unlearn it by replacing it with a healthy activity.  

Answer 33

FILL YOUR FRIDGE WITH NUTRITIONAL FOODS ONLY, ! .  

Answer 34

You just need to realize that eating isnt going to solve the problem,  

Answer 35

Find something you like that’s 0 points and eat that. If you want ice cream then blend some frozen fruit (it’s 0 because you are eating not drinking, I asked) if you like salty foods then have some pickles or cucumbers with salt on them. If you want crunchy salty then try some air popped popcorn or gold fish or the ultra thin pretzels from Walmart.  

Answer 36

Drink water. Go for a walk. Any hobbies or activity to keep your hands busy. I play games on my phone. Sweat it out with Leslie Sansone. I rearly feel like eating after one of her 5k routines.  

Answer 37

First recognize to yourself you are stressed, and that is what is causing the urge to eat. (or thats what i do. ) and then i'm like ok this craving is gonna pass. i am stressed. and i find a lower point alternative. some days are so high stress and i'm like, i'm eating the damn cookie. and tomorrow i reset and will do better, but today is a damn cookie day. lol

Answer 38

Me too mine is stress and being bored. If candy and cookies and junk food is here in the house I eat.  

Answer 39

Give yourself a mantra and use it. I am also doing Intermittent Fasting so my mantra is The Kitchen Is Closed. Find what works for you. This is a self help journey.  

Answer 40

Do you have some place to go in your house to keep you away from the kitchen! I go upstairs to my bedroom so I can’t sabotage!  

Answer 41

Pray or talk to a friend

Answer 42

Keep your hands busy. At night

Answer 43

Make high point snacks unavailable. Prepare a snack box of zero to low point foods for such times. I make lentil or bean and vegetables soup once a week . Keep it in the fridge. it is my fallback position if I need it. Filling, zero Point.  

Answer 44

Water with a tinge of dilute pop in and keep it at the side of you

Answer 45

Will power is a muscle too, the more you use it the stronger it gets

Comments

@roadrunner2yn J Roberts no, it is not. One must engineer for success. Developing the habit of self-control, like all habits, depend on reinforcement, reward, and reputation. Having acceptable alternatives on hand helps in developing habits of self-control. Sheer willpower is doomed in the absence of these.  

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@roadrunner2yn J Roberts I have no will power - but my won’t power is gaining strength!  

Answer 46

I try to go with zero point foods. I like to keep kohlirabi, jicama, and turnips on hand and eat them with salsa. Crunchy and 0 points, or fruit too.  

Answer 47

I've been listening to the Brain over Binge podcasts and reading her book. Very valuable to understand where those urges come from and how to control.  

Answer 48

Don’t have the problem but was a smoker at one time. Wondering if it’s much the same and you need to replace the habit of stress eating with something else, Just font choose smoking, That’s a killer to quit!  

Comments

@paduasoy I'm on my 8th day of not smoking, happy days

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@ramsay76941 that is PURE AWESOME!  

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@paduasoy thank you hon

Answer 49

I crave something sweet when I am stressed so I always keep WW snack bars on hand.  

Comments

@consolatory, that doesn’t work for me, I’d eat the entire box and be looking for the next binge

Answer 50

I keep Ww snacks in my car and in the house

Answer 51

Working out reduces my stress. I try to start there. If I workout I don’t want to blow that by eating junk

Answer 52

Right now, my "go to" is half a large organic COLD apple, sprinkled with a mixture of 1 T. PB2 & 1 T. Splenda brown sugar sub. I slice the apple into thin wedges and sprinkle. It calms that need for. hand to mouth nashing thing.  

Answer 53

Me too- I’m under so much stress I keep giving up, then regrets set in.  

Answer 54

I am fortunate to not be an emotional/stress eater. what is you absolute favorite food?  

Answer 55

There is a app for that. free. I Deserve

Answer 56

Look into self talk, our mind is very powerful both good and bad