Today’s times have become much more stressful than it was for your parents and grandparents. The American Psychological Associated reported that people are often stressed about accessing health care and paying for it, sexual harassment, discrimination, terrorism, climate change, and many other things. The Covid-19 pandemic also added to people’s stress.
Adding these big stressors to those that affect us personally, including work, kids, aging parents, relationship issues, etc. With so much happening in the world and in people’s personal lives, it is not hard to believe that people are struggling with emotional eating. Fortunately, there are ways to get better. Explore some programs at Albuquerque day spa to avoid being overweight or obese and live a long life.
Tips to avoid stress eating
- Check-in with yourself.
One of the first things you should do to understand your eating habits is to determine why it is happening in the first place. There are many reasons why people overeat even when they are not hungry, including being stressed or bored. If you find yourself looking for food or ordering every now and then, ask yourself whether you are doing it because you are hungry or there is another reason. Before or while stress-eating, try to understand what emotions you are feeling.
- Know what triggers your stress-eating.
Knowing the type of situations or people who trigger your stress or anxiety and cause you to binge eat or overeat is important so that you can avoid them the next time. Once you understand your emotional eating triggers, you can even take steps to prepare for them.
- Follow a meal plan.
Some people function well when they have planned out their entire day beforehand. Rather than forcing yourself not to eat, plan out what you are going to eat, in what quantity, and at what times. Experts can help create a menu plan for you that makes you feel excited about your next meal. A healthy meal that keeps you full is the key to maintaining a healthy weight and avoiding binge eating. Planning your snacks along with your meals is also helpful.
- Hide your temptations.
If there are certain food items that tempt you to overeat, hide them. Do not keep these items where they are easily visible to you. Hide the jar of cookies in the kitchen cupboard or the bowl of candy on the living room table. Sugary foods with high calories should also be bought in limited quantities or not at all so that they are not always available for you to eat.