Good morning! 
This morning, I enjoyed such a yummy breakfast: blueberry-coconut oats. Mmm! Love ‘em! The shredded coconut was a really fun addition. I forgot about how much I love adding it to oats.
In the mix:
- 1/4 cup old-fashioned oats
- 1/4 cup oat bran
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup frozen blueberries
- 1/2 tbsp chia seeds
- Shredded coconut
With breakfast, I also sipped on a deliciously creamy iced non-fat latte.
So good!
Stress-Related Eating
After I wrote yesterday’s lunch post, I starting thinking about my stress-related eating. I don’t deal with stress well at all. It’s actually sort of a disaster when it gets really bad. 
I work in front of a computer most of the time, so when I started to feel stressed, food always seems to comfort me while I type away.
Stress-related eating wasn’t really a problem for me until recently. The more stressed I get, the more I eat, and lately I’ve started to feel out-of-control when it comes to my emotions and the food that I consume. To be honest, it hasn’t been pretty.
At my check-in yesterday, I briefly talked with Tara, my trainer, about my stress-related eating. We chatted and came up with a few ideas to help better manage it:
- Step away from the computer: Go for a walk, clean a room in your house, paint your nails. Do something besides going into the kitchen.
- Take a deep breath: Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and meditate for a minute or two. The slow breathing will help relax you.
- Drink some water: Sometimes I mistake thirst for hunger, so chugging down some H20 sometimes does the trick.
- Chomp on veggies: If you want “mouth satisfaction,” eat veggie crudites. Tara says “she’s never seen anyone gain weight from eating too many vegetables!”
These are all great ideas that I will definitely try to incorporate into my life, but I think even just being more conscious of what I am doing will help me put on the brakes when I feel stressed and out-of-control with what I am putting into my mouth.
Question of the Day
Do you struggle with stress-related eating? How do you deal with it?
P.S. Don’t forget about my chia seed and cupcake aisle promotions. Lots of good deals! 
And, it’s Free Pastry Day at Starbucks!
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I am a big fan of eating vegetables when I’m stressed. My natural inclination is to eat sugar but if I substitute with veggies I get the crunch but not the calories.
I also like exercise for stress too. Gets me out of the house and feeling productive. And I’ve tried to make my computer a non eating zone. So I stick to water and tea and eat in other areas so I don’t mindlessly eat at my computer.
ya know what works for me?? CRYING! I am so emotional and a good cry always helps me get out my frustrations. And who can eat AND cry? lol
I used to struggle with stress-related eating quite a bit and actually last week, it finally hit me. I had bought a chocolate bar because I was having a bad day and I finally made the connection.
I now feel like I have more control over it and I incorporate a lot of other things like you mentioned to better deal with stress.
I’m definitely a boredom AND a stress eater! Whenever I think I might be about to eat when I’m not hungry, I ask myself, “would I eat an apple right now?” I love apples, but for whatever reason they really only taste good to me if I’m hungry. So if the answer is yes, I eat an apple and then see if I still want chocolate/cereal/whatever I’m craving. If the answer is no, then I find something else to do. This seems weird as I’m typing it, but it works for me!
I know stress eating all too well. I usually make a list of all the positives about the situation. That usually does the trick with alleviating the stress. But I don’t always stay so focused….esp if there is a chocolate bar on hand.
I get up from my desk and get a glass of water. I think I do confuse my hunger with thirst.
Your breakfast looks amazing! I’m going to try that.
Hi Tina,
I’ve REALLY struggled with stress eating over the last couple of years, and I managed to get myself into the typical cycle of eating too much, stressing about it, going to the gym and try to get an intense workout in, and then feeling hungry & stressed after which I will typically overeat again.
The big surprise for me came when instead of trying to ramp up my exercise intensity to combat the excess calories & my stress/anxiety I dialed it back. So instead of running 5 miles every day, I started doing a 60-90 minute yoga session, walking, or swimming laps, which I find soothing. I used to be opposed to those kinds of activities, thinking that they weren’t “enough of a workout”, but I found that they ease my mind AND my appetite, and as a result I eat way more mindfully all day long and because I feel happier and more content, the excess snacking and sweets don’t appeal to me as much. So maybe your yoga challenge could do even more for you if you let it!
I just want to also say that I think it was effective because it took my focus away from “I will not eat too much tomorrow or else I let myself down” to me just trying to feel better and reduce the stress more holistically. Anyhow, just a thought! Good luck, I can totally understand where you are coming from!
I definitely struggle from stress eating. Usually it just gets the better of me. Sometimes I’m able to think about how good I’ll feel about myself if I don’t give in to the temptation to over eat, but not very often. I try not to feel guilty about it though, it’s just food.
Those oats look great. I don’t really have a stress eating issue. But I have the opposite. I have celebration eating issues- if that makes sense. When I am celebrating something, I always get carried away with the food and drink that goes a long with it. I have been struggling to balance the for a few weeks now.
When I’m stressed I usually forget to eat!
Stress related eating is something that I definitely struggle with. But those tips are great!
I still struggle with stress eating
my only advice is if u don’t wanna eat it, don’t keep it round the house… Chips, crackers, cereal, granola… Keep those away!
I’m sitting at the computer all day and I used to drink cup after cup of tea and then I wondered why I felt lousy in the evenings and found it hard to sleep.
Now I have switched to fruit teas, they are great hot or cold, they are refreshing and feel luxurious and so you don’t feel like snacking. I sleep a lot better now and am far more relaxed and alert during the day.
Yesterday I consume everything and anything because I was so stressed, depressed and mad!! I couldn’t stop eating and today I feel like crap. I hope whatever made me do it yesterday is long gone and I won’t be doing that anytime soon. Stupid boy emotions made me do it!!!!
Coconut is the best! Im more of a ‘I dont know why Im eating’ eater – if that makes sense! Good luck with tackling the emotional eating!
I don’t really struggle with stress-related eating, but I certainly struggle with stress!! Thanks for the tips!
Blueberry and coconut oatmeal would be a good combination, yum!
I often stress eat, even when I’m not hungry but something is making me feel tense. It’s such a bad habit! But it does help to be more aware of how you’re feeling, and before grabbing for something, thinking about why you want it, and what’s causing you to eat. Sometimes it’s stress, but sometimes you just need a little snack!
I do struggle with stress eating. In fact I would consider it binge behavior at times. I’m working through it. Exercise is a great option. So is a bubble bath (my new-found stress reliever which does a great job of calorie-free body comfort). Hot tea or even decaf coffee are also options. Lastly, and most importantly, I find that prayer and meditating on scripture helps me get strength that food NEVER provides. Food only provides instant stress relief, but what follows is guilt which just compounds the guilt. Oy!
I stress eat too, and have trouble binging sometimes. The only thing that has helped me in the long term is Overeaters Anonymous. I know it sounds extreme, but it really addresses the root causes of compulsive/emotional eating.
Yum! Blueberry-coconut sounds like a fantastic combo!
I can so relate to what you’re going trough. I am an emotional eater. I eat when I’m stressed, when I’m bored, when I’m happy, when I’m sad…you name the emotion and I eat it.
I am trying hard to work on my emotions and my eating. I try writing them down or going out to exercise, or just read something about nutrition. It helps, but I have a long way to go.
I am definitely an emotional eater and when I get stressed, I reach for carbs! It’s hard to combat the problem, but I stay on top of it with exercise to relieve the stress and sipping tea when I’m idle. It seems to keep me from digging into the snacks.
Stress eating is one of my biggest struggles with my health. I definitely do it and I drink water or just end up eating some carrots. However, sometimes I just gorge on bad stuff at night but it’s once in awhile. The key is to forgive yourself and move on and just try not to do it the next night!
I sit behind a computer all day as well. I find at times when work is bothering i tend snack more and want unhealthy snacks. So days when I work from home this its even worse since I have access to the kitchen all day. I try to say no to myself and talk mental breaks like running a quick errand or doing some laundry. The urge is hard to fit but i know if i eat unhealthy or snack to much it will ruin my workout.
Hi Tina,
. What we do besides teaching better eating habits is help clients with time and stress management. That is so important especially these days when we are all running around trying to be superwoman. If you would like support in finding and maintaining a healthy balance that works best for you, we should talk. I give free 50 minute health consultations. My e-mail is: totalhealthcounseling@gmail.com. Feel free to also check out my web site: http://www.totalhealthcounseling.com. I wish you all the best, Pam
I’ve been reading your blog for almost 2 yrs now and yes I have recently noticed your stress-related eating habits. You have a lot going on and it seems like your to-do list is endless. I think you would greatly benefit by working with a health coach, like me
I don’t do well when it comes to stress and my food intake. When I get stressed food is my friend. I try really hard to beat it but sometimes it’s just too dang hard. I just try to get through it and when I slide I try to pick myself up and move on. No sense in beating yourself up about.
For more information about chia seeds, and some recipe ideas, check out my website: http://www.chiativity.org
Stress and me do not get on! The stress devil on my shoulder tells me ‘Eat chocolate!’
Guilty as charged! But, I think sometimes stress eating is really quite good. If it is a food you love, eaten in a reasonable portion, doesn’t cause a freak out/binge, and does make you feel better, why not? I remember once having the WORST day at work and taking myself to a nice cafe at lunch and having a big ass piece of cake. Good God I felt better after that.
Having said that, it’s probably not good to link food with feelings too much. But honestly if a piece of your favourite chocolate will de-stress you, I say do it.
I have to say I have not necessarily been guilty of stress eating (except for that one easter that my boss was horrible and i just had to bite the head off that chocolate bunny). I do suffer from boredom eating. Some parts of my job can get pretty monotonous so I find myself walking to the kitchen and end up eating crap. One thing that helps me is I just make myself a cup of tea. This way I drink a lot of tea (which is good), I stay hydrated, stay warm and don’t gorge on processed snacks I normally wouldn’t eat anywhere else.
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