HOW TO DEAL WITH YOUR STRESS
When stress dominates hectic everyday life, many people consciously or unconsciously start eating. Stress eating may feel good at first, but it is less helpful in solving problems at Betamo site. Three simple methods can save many unnecessary calories.
When the day doesn’t want to go according to plan at all and stress dominates actions, many people often turn to unhealthy snacks to calm down. That is very much understandable. If you are stressed out you need something to calm you down. Some smoke others need sweets.
In particular, upsetting emotions such as anxiety or sadness tempt people to reach for sweets or fast food – even if they don’t feel physically hungry.
This stress eating can actually help you cope with negative emotions for a short time, because eating puts pleasure and reward at the forefront.
EATING AGAINST SORROW
It is not uncommon, however, for a guilty conscience to come knocking after overindulging in (usually unhealthy) foods, and for one to quickly regret the binge.
And although the many extra calories certainly don’t help you feel good in the long run, some people keep reaching for sugary and fatty foods as a soul comforter.
That’s why it’s important to recognize whether people reach for chocolate, ice cream and the like on rare occasions to calm down, or whether food is used permanently to cope with life.
If this is the only coping mechanism, this use of unhealthy foods can quickly become problematic.
1. eat throughout the day
The first important step in combating stress eating seems quite simple: avoid cravings by eating enough throughout the day.
This measure is simple, but all the more effective for it. The more hungry you are, the greater the likelihood that you will reach for the next best snack without thinking.
And that can then turn out to be quite unhealthy. Because if you’re both hungry and emotionally charged, you’ll eat thoughtlessly and often beyond the actual feeling of satiety.
2. supply the body with good nutrients
Eating balanced meals on a regular basis helps keep energy levels stable throughout the day – so intuitive eating is the way to go.
A good mix of complex carbohydrates, protein, fiber and healthy fats is crucial to keep the body ideally nourished and satiated for a long time.
Depending on personal needs, three larger or several smaller meals can be eaten daily. The only important thing is that the foods have the right nutrients.
Healthy snacks can also help you get through the day without bouts of stress eating. In order to keep yourself satisfied with these as well, the small snack should include fresh foods.
For example, apples or bananas with peanut butter or almond paste, natural yogurt with berries, and nuts are perfect.
STRESS MANAGMENT
If the stressful situations accumulate, one should have different strategies in the repertoire, in order to be able to proceed directly against the stress.
When choosing these coping mechanisms, it can help to ask yourself three questions to see if a method actually helps you process emotions.
“Does this method help me find solutions to the problem and my emotional state?”
“Am I using this method to numb or ignore my emotions?”
“Do I feel better after using this method?”
Stress eating is primarily meant to numb unpleasant feelings. No matter how much you may still enjoy the food, it certainly won’t solve the problem.
On the contrary, taking time for yourself as well as the situation and reflecting on the emotions can help. Affective actions such as stress eating will be avoided as a result.
Here is a selection of what can help in a stressful situation:
- calm, deep breathing
- progressive muscle relaxation
- writing down emotional thoughts in an orderly fashion
- moving the body – whether it’s exercising, taking a walk, doing yoga, dancing, etc.
- call a loved one and talk about the situation
- calm down with your favorite movie, book, radio play
- restful sleep
- letting out negative emotions sometimes – crying can be very useful
It doesn’t always have to be perfect!
Not every coping technique works equally well for everyone. In addition, not every method has to work 100 percent from the start. It is important to look at different approaches and find out which one works best. People who are prone to stress eating tend to feel guilty afterwards and benefit little from this supposed soul comforter. All the more important to deal with negative influences and possible stress valves and find a good solution.