A confrontation with co-workers, disagreements with your children, partner or parents or a seemingly unexplainable traffic jam can all cause your stress level to sky rocket. Most of us know what to eat. And even though we are often bombarded with “weight loss programs” we continue to gain weight as a society at least in part due to stress eating.
Of course there are are some people who eat significantly less when they are stressed out. Certain people can’t eat or drink anything when their stress levels rise. But most people I counsel often eat to “stuff down emotions”. They know that it’s not healthy. It’s not a desired behavior. But it is very difficult to control.
So if we are not hungry why do we “stress” eat?
We are social eaters
Even with the recent significant dip in the US economy, we still go out to eat often (or bring in “take out food”) and bond over food. Just turn on a TV soap opera or sappy movie and you’ll see a few friends sitting around digging into a gallon of ice cream or eating pre-cooked cake mix out of a bowl. Between dining out often (without regard for healthy choices) and crying together while sharing a can of frosting, a social get-together can lead to consuming more calories than controlled eating at your kitchen table.
Hormones
If you are very stressed out, you probably have an increased level of “cortisol” which is a stress hormone. The more stress you have (and lack of adequate sleep), the higher your cortisol level. Cortisol can cause an increase in “belly fat”, which in turn can increase insulin resistance and could result in an increased risk of developing problems like type 2 diabetes. Some reports even indicate that once cortisol levels are increased, so are cravings for salty and sweet foods.
Boredom
Downtime is something we all need. But sometimes we don’t know what to do when we have five minutes of time to ourselves. Rather than doing something “positive” (like exercising, which would also increase “endorphins”, a feel good hormone), we simply eat. Think about the things you eat when you’re bored. Usually we go for a less healthy choice like a cookie or chip rather than a carrot or apple.
Eating In Our Younger Years
When you did well on a report card, participated in a band concert or received a track ribbon your parents probably rewarded you with ice cream! Visiting your grandparents or a favorite aunt often revolved around the powerful aromas of sauces simmering or crumb cake baking. These positive food memories can translate into a way to control stress when we get older. So if you associate Aunt Betty’s home baked Lasagna with fond memories, you might crave it when you need some comfort. If you associate chocolate ice cream with sprinkles with being comforted for a scraped knee, you might desire that calorie rich creamy treat after a challenging day at work or school.
Avoiding Emotions
Sometimes we eat rather than dealing with our emotions. Rather than confronting a problem, we eat. For a moment, we feel a little better. Food can be an inexpensive easily accessible drug. When a cup cake is stuffed down your throat, you are pushing down your emotions. The result is often weight gain, which will compound the original problem, but certainly won’t solve it.
My advice is to become aware of what causes you to “stress” eat. There is no easy way to stop eating due to stress, however it is very important to realize that it might be an issue in your life. Future articles will focus on the importance of exercise, maintaining a food journal, and good nutrition in the battle against stress eating. Please send along your comments on how you deal with eating and the stress in your busy life!
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