Stopping Stress Eating

Whether you are emotionally upset or simply stressed because of a busy schedule, digging into some comfort food can be a quick and easy way to temporary alleviate stress and make yourself feel better. But in reality we're harming our bodies and making ourselves feel guilty later when we take a step back and realize how unnecessary it all was and how you probably still have stress in your life. Food is a bandage for an issue, not a solution. Treating it as anything else when eating for comfort just leads to guilt and overeating. Here are a few tips to curb stress eating before it happens.

1. Keep a food journal. Keeping a food journal will help keep you accountable for everything that you put into your body. It may not be a permanent solution but at least keeping one temporarily can help you recognize your patterns when it comes to stress eating and more effectively put a stop to them.
2. Give yourself ten minutes, always. When you feel yourself gravitating toward the fridge or cupboard and you know you shouldn't, distract yourself for about ten minutes. Call someone, read a book, or look around online. Giving yourself a little breather from your cravings can help to get rid of them without touching a bite of food. If after a little while you still find yourself wanting something, try placing a single serving on a nice plate to enjoy.
3. Make your meals and snacks a plan. This can go along with keeping a food journal, but make your meals happen at about the same time every day so you know when you're next opportunity to eat is. If you know that you're not going to have to wait all day for your next meal then you'll be less likely to overindulge at the one before it.
4. Keep small servings. If there is a food you consistently find yourself eating too much of, only keep a small serving around the house at a time, or none at all so that you would have to go out if it was something you really wanted. We are much less likely to leave the house when a late night craving hits, and keeping a small amount instead of the bulk size is built in portion control.
5. Recognize your own power. A lot of the time when you begin to stress eat you can feel like you've lost control of yourself. But in any situation, no matter how upsetting or stressful, you are still in control of your body. Recognizing that control is important because it can help you to assess where you are in a situation and take a step back when you are feeling emotional.

How do you deal with stress eating?