Stress eating: 5 strategies to overcome emotional eating
Clinically reviewed by Dr. Chris Mosunic, PhD, RD, CDCES, MBA
Discover what stress eating is, its common causes, and the difference between physical vs. emotional hunger. Plus, 5 strategies to control stress eating.
Sometimes, when we feel stressed, anxious, or bored, we might find ourselves reaching for food. We're not eating to satisfy actual hunger, but, rather, trying to soothe ourselves with something that may give us a quick burst of energy or just make us feel good for a moment. This type of eating to soothe emotions, and not necessarily relieve hunger, is called stress eating, or emotional eating. It can lead to a cycle where emotions drive eating habits, which can affect both physical health and emotional wellbeing.
What is stress eating?
When you're truly hungry, most types of food can feel satisfying to you. However, eating because you’re stressed or anxious can lead us to having specific cravings, which usually aren’t the most nutritionally dense.
Stress eating often feels automatic or mindless, almost as if you’re in a daze. When you’re stress-eating, you might not be aware of what you're eating or how much. Of course, stress eating doesn’t fix the underlying emotional issues you’re attempting to soothe. Instead, it temporarily masks feelings, which can lead to an unhealthy cycle of overeating and reaching for foods when you’re experiencing certain emotions.
It’s important to try to recognize the signs of emotional hunger, including sudden hunger pangs, craving specific comfort foods, and feeling guilty after eating. By identifying these patterns, you can begin to differentiate between eating to fill an emotional void and eating to satisfy physical hunger.
What are the causes of stress eating? 5 common triggers
Once you're aware of what causes stress eating, you can develop strategies to address your triggers directly. You may be stress eating for the following reasons:
1. Uncontrolled stress: When we're stressed, our body releases cortisol, a hormone that can increase appetite and cravings for sugary or fatty foods.
2. Emotional suppression: Sometimes, we eat to avoid dealing with uncomfortable emotions. If you're feeling sad or anxious, you might find yourself reaching for food as a distraction or as a way to suppress these feelings.
3. Boredom: When there's not much else going on, food can seem like an easy and accessible way to add excitement or variation to the day.
4. Childhood habits: Our eating behaviors can be deeply influenced by habits formed during childhood. If food was used as a reward or a comfort during younger years, you might find yourself continuing these patterns into adulthood.
5. Social influences: If friends or family members turn to food in times of stress, you might be more likely to do the same. Social gatherings often revolve around food, which can also prompt stress eating.
5 strategies to manage stress eating
By implementing these stress eating strategies, you can start to break the cycle of emotional eating and develop new, healthier habits to deal with emotions and stress.
1. Keep a food diary
If it feels supportive, you might try tracking your eating habits. Write down when and what you eat with a focus on what you're feeling when you reach for that food. This diary can reveal any emotional eating triggers or certain times of day when you're more likely to stress eat. Recognizing these patterns is the first step toward changing them.
💙 Check out the Mindful Eating masterclass led by Michelle May, MD, and learn more about eating mindfully and tracking how you feel throughout the process.
2. Nurture your feelings without food
Identify other ways to cope with your emotions that don't involve eating. If you're feeling stressed, try a relaxation technique like deep breathing or meditation. If you're bored, engage in enjoyable activities that aren’t related to food. By finding alternative ways to address your feelings, you reduce your reliance on food for emotional support.
💙 The Emotions series features meditations to understand, investigate, and soothe your emotions.
3. Leverage breathing techniques
Breathing techniques, like the squeegee breath, where you imagine a squeegee pulling down your stress from head to toe as you breathe out, can be a quick and effective way to reduce stress levels and decrease the immediate impulse to eat to self-soothe.
💙 Pause to Check In with yourself before reaching for a treat when you’re feeling low.
4. Treat yourself
Consider rewarding yourself more often in non-food related ways. This could be a self-care activity like taking a warm bath, reading a book, or giving yourself a mini-massage. If you regularly show yourself love with things you enjoy, you may not feel the same urge to reach for food as a treat when you’re stresed.
💙 Explore the act of Self-Nurturing as a non-food related way to take care of yourself and soothe stress.
5. Stay active and engaged
Physical activity can be a powerful stress reliever and positive distraction. Try walking, dancing, gardening, or playing a sport to divert your attention from eating while boosting your mood and energy levels.
💙 Use physical movement to Nurture Yourself in this guided sequence with Mel Mah.
What’s the difference between physical vs. emotional hunger?
By understanding the distinction between physical and emotional hunger, you can start to determine why you’re reaching for a snack. This awareness can allow you to pause and consider whether there are other, more effective ways to address your feelings.
Physical hunger
Gradual onset: Physical hunger tends to build gradually with signals from your body, like a growling stomach.
Open to options: When you're physically hungry, you're less likely to crave one specific type of food.
Satisfaction: Eating due to physical hunger leads to a feeling of satisfaction. You feel nourished and energized after eating, not guilty or upset.
Recognizable fullness signals: Your body tells you when you've had enough, helping you stop eating when you're physically satisfied.
Emotional hunger
Sudden urgency: Emotional hunger tends to appear abruptly. One moment you're not thinking about food, and the next, you have a strong craving.
Specific cravings: This type of hunger usually involves cravings for comfort foods like sweets, fast food, or salty snacks.
Dissatisfaction: Eating in response to emotional hunger doesn't lead to the same feeling of satisfaction as eating when you're physically hungry. This might cause you to keep eating past the point of fullness.
Accompanied by emotional feelings: Emotional eating is often accompanied by feelings like guilt, stress, or sadness, both during and after eating.
How to adopt a holistic approach to overcome stress eating
By embracing a holistic approach to stress eating strategies, you can address the causes of stress eating and develop a more nurturing and supportive relationship with food and your body.
Mindfulness practices
Mindfulness can help you become more aware of your eating habits and the emotions driving them. Use techniques such as mindful eating to help you pay full attention to the experience of eating, so you enjoy your food more and recognize signals of fullness, which can reduce overeating.
Self-care
Prioritize self-care to help manage stress and reduce the likelihood of stress eating. Self-care can include getting enough sleep, enjoying hobbies, and making time to relax throughout the day. When you take care of your overall wellbeing, you're less likely to turn to food as a coping mechanism.
Professional support
Seek help from a therapist or a nutritionist for personalized strategies to address your stress eating patterns and underlying emotional issues.
Community support
Connect with others facing similar challenges for motivation and reassurance. Support groups or online communities can offer empathy, strategies, and encouragement.
Balanced lifestyle
Include a nutritious diet, regular physical activity, and time for relaxation and fun to help reduce stress and lessen the urge to eat emotionally. When your life is balanced, you're better equipped to handle stress in healthy ways, reducing the likelihood of turning to food for comfort.
Stress eating FAQ
How can I distinguish between hunger and the desire to stress eat?
To tell the difference between physical hunger and stress eating, pay attention to how and when your hunger signals arise. Physical hunger develops gradually and can be satisfied with any food. Stress eating usually comes on suddenly, often craving only a specific type of food, like something sweet or salty. Emotional hunger isn't satisfied once you're full — it's driven by your emotions, and you might keep eating even when you're not physically hungry. By noticing these patterns, you can start to identify whether you're eating out of need or as a response to stress.
Are there specific foods that can help reduce the urge to stress eat?
While no specific food will eliminate the urge to stress eat, a balanced diet can help stabilize your mood and energy levels, potentially reducing cravings. Foods rich in fiber, protein, and healthy fats can keep you fuller for longer, and drinking plenty of water can lift your mood and energy levels if you’re dehydrated.
What are some immediate steps I can take when I feel the urge to stress eat?
When you feel the urge to stress eat, try to pause and reflect on what you're feeling. Engage in a brief activity that might distract or soothe you, such as taking a walk, practicing deep breathing, or calling a friend. Drinking a glass of water or having a small, healthy snack if you're truly hungry can also help. The key is to create a moment of pause to assess your feelings and choose a response that addresses your emotional needs without food.
How does stress eating affect long-term health?
Over time, stress eating can lead to various health issues, including weight gain, which is associated with a higher risk of chronic conditions like diabetes and heart disease. It can also affect your mental health, contributing to feelings of guilt, shame, or a lack of control, and can disrupt a healthy relationship with food. Addressing stress eating is important for both physical and mental wellbeing.
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