Have you ever gotten off the phone with someone and headed straight to the kitchen, directly to that cabinet with the chocolate bar or chips? Raising my hand over here.
Stress eating is real! We probably all fall victim to it at some point if we are truthful.
You may recognize this stress eating cycle: You get stressed … your cortisol levels rise ... your metabolism slows ... you crave sugar or other processed foods ... your blood sugar rises and falls ... you get more cravings ... and on and on.
The secret to stop stress eating is to catch it before it starts.
You may not feel like you have the time to alleviate stress but do you really have time to be stressed with all the baggage that comes with stress?
When you recognize that you feel stressed or even prior to a situation you know will be stressful use one or more of these five strategies.
Listen in or read on below so you can bust your stress and stop stress eating before it starts.
Visualize
Sit quietly for just 5-10 minutes and focus on your breath. If stressful thoughts enter your mind, notice them and just release them.
Inhale peace and calm. Visualize the stress leaving your body with each exhale.
Visualization is a very powerful technique.
Visualization allows you to feel in control. To see what you want to create in your health and life. Many Cancer patients will use visualization to see the cancer mass dissolve and go away.
Just move
As soon as you have the chance, exercise or move your body. When you start exercising it prompts your body to release endorphins, the happy feel good hormones, which have natural stress-fighting properties.
Even better take it outside. Combine your exercise or movement with being in nature for just a few minutes. Both are proven stress busters. It may also be very restorative for you.
Pick the movement you like - dance, fast walk, run, swim, bike, canoe. Whatever! Just Move!
Write it down
Keep a journal and focus on the positive things happening in your life vs. the negative.
Dwelling on what you are grateful for can shift your focus and lift your mood in a pinch.
What I love about this is, if you can't think of anything positive happening in your life or you start feeling stressed or down you can always go back and read what you wrote on any day to lift your spirits.
Even more fun is to create a Joy Jar. Put each of the things that you are grateful for on a single piece of paper into a jar. When needed reach in and pull one or more out.
Eat the right nutrients
Unfortunately, when we are stress eating, we generally are not reaching for the healthy options. Generally, it will be the sugary processed foods high in carbohydrates with little to no protein and all the bad fats.
It really does matter what you eat.
Eat something containing healthy protein and healthy fat (the most satiating nutrients) at your next meal or snack. This will help you feel full and not thinking about food.
Eating healthy proteins and healthy fats is something you should do at all meals and snacks so you will feel more satisfied and less likely to reach for unhealthy foods.
Sleep!
Yep sleep! Get enough rest. At least 7-9 hours of sleep every night.
When you haven’t had at least 7 hours of sleep your food choices are typically not healthy leading to possible weight gain.
Your craving for highly processed foods increases and you may also be prone to overeat.
On a side note not getting enough sleep can also reduce your metabolism.
Honestly one or all these five strategies can be incorporated into your day to help you ward off or relieve stress and stress eating every day.
What are your biggest stress busters?
I would love to know your thoughts or if this was helpful for you.
Let me know in the comments below or shoot me an
email - sheri@empoweredhealthcoaching.com I would love to hear.
Live life empowered!
Here's a free guide which may also help you with more tips to bust your stress and a special free offer: 5 Tips to Reduce Your Stress
Sheri Johnson is a certified Transformational Holistic Health, Wellness and Life Coach in the Central Florida area. She believes everyone deserves an amazing healthy, balanced life, full of energy and feeling fantastic! When you get back on track in life and feel like yourself again then you can easily step into who you truly want to be, living out your purpose, passion and what you were called here to do.
If you are ready to decrease stress and overwhelm while creating balance in your body, mind and spirit then please check out her website and book a free strategy session with her below.
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