Are You Stress Eating? Here’s How to Deal.

Do you find yourself holiday stress eating? Making excuses to grab sugar or processed junk during this fast-paced, jam-packed season? We get it. Sugar is everywhere and it’s really easy to mindlessly snack and indulge in the treats.

Here’s how to deal:

Schedule Your Eating

Sticking to your eating times helps — if it’s lunch time or snack time, then eat. Otherwise wait until those times. Scheduled eating times (Meal One, Meal Two, Snack and Meal Three) will ensure that your energy and blood sugar is stable and you can make rational eating choices.

Plan Your Snacks

Having a planned snack and eating just that helps. Sometimes the more choices you give yourself, the harder it is to eat healthfully. You planned a delicious snack and will enjoy it as much as the cookie. Stick to your plan and you’ll be happy.

Add in Fruit

Go ahead, eat some sweets — but make it fruit and not cookies and cake. Having a bowl of berries is just as delightful. Or a couple of cuties, or a delicious apple. If you’re still hungry, throw in a handful of nuts for some energy.

Choose Fats

If you’re having sugar cravings, fat is very satisfying and can curb your cravings like no other. A tablespoon of peanut butter or almond butter normally does the trick as does a half an avocado drizzled with olive oil and dashed with salt and pepper.

Ask Yourself Why

Sometimes just asking yourself WHY you want the cookie (or any sweet, really) is enough to realize it won’t help your situation. If you’re hungry, it’s one thing. If you’re stress eating, you’ll ID that and maybe won’t choose the cookie. Stress eating doesn’t make you less stressed (dirty little secret: it actually sometimes makes you MORE stressed because you didn’t really want the sweet that you just ate).

Limit Alcohol Intake

Alcohol can lower inhibitions and lead to overeating. Consume alcohol in moderation and be aware of its potential impact on your food choices.

Practice Stress-Reducing Techniques

Incorporate stress-reducing activities into your daily routine, such as deep breathing, meditation or yoga. These practices can help you cope with stress without turning to food.

I hope these tips help you carve out a happy, healthy holiday season and come out on the other side feeling good about your decisions.