Stress related eating and dealing with stress
3rd November 2021
Welcome to our blog on stress related eating. During our Wellness Weight Programme we will draw heavily on the principles of mindfulness and the widespread benefits the concept of mindfulness holds for all of us. We want you to be not only familiar with mindfulness but to become comfortable being mindful.
Stress related eating and dealing with stress
So, here we are going to think about stress and how stress plays a part in our eating behaviour. We are going to talk about stress related eating and to think about how we can spot this happening. But, it's all very well noticing that we 'stress eat' but we need to think about other ways to deal with our stress.
The world we live in is busy, shops are open 24/7, we have instant communications though our mobile phones, which we tend to have on or near us all the time, so we are available to others pretty much constantly........ so this leads to increased stress levels. In addition to this, during the past 18 months we have all been in a totally unknown, unfamiliar world, a world full of fear and uncertainty. And this is highly stressful.
STRESS is a commonly used word and it can mean different things to different people. Some people say they thrive on stress and it is what drives them, but we know that living under stressful conditions in the longer term is bad for our health.
Stress can be a physical, mental or emotional experience........ Let's take a few moments to connect with our innner self, what does stress mean to you?
To notice your stress why don't you try getting into the habit of asking yourself these questions:
- 'What's happening in my head?' Identify the different thoughts that are whizzing about in your head......, are they about things you can fix, sort or do? Or are they unhelpful comments about what you have already done or are about to do?
- 'Physically am I in a state of tension, am I tense and ready to ''jump into action'' or do I feel like I am running just to stand still, do I feel as though I am spinning plates, constantly aware that there is a risk that I might drop one?'
- 'Am I emotional or irritable for no real reason? Am I more sensitive? Do I feel like an elastic band that is being stretched and stretched and is about to SNAP?'
When you answer yes to any of these questions .........you are stressed!
What do we do when we are stressed?
People do a variety of different things when they are stressed. Some of us find new leases of energy, others seek physical activity as a means of de-stressing. Others unwind by chilling on the sofa and watching something of their choice often joined by a bag of something ...... a large bag of crisps or perhaps sweets like chocolate or ice cream. For some it's a glass or pint of something alcoholic. Very often we allow ourselves, even indulge our self with what we see as 'a well deserved treat' ....... a takeaway and a glass/pint of something.
Food & alcohol, and generally sitting down and trying to make our self feel better! - are the more obvious de-stressors. What do you do to de-stress?
What could we do when we are stress?
Once we have awareness of what it is that we do, we are then in a position to challenge our self to respond differently. Pre-planning and mental rehearsal are ways we can guide our self to make changes to our behaviour. However, there is no substitute to being aware of our internal state and the only way we can achieve this is by regularly checking in with our self and identifying what's going on, we can then take action to address the situation.
It is so important to do this before we become totally immersed in the stress and we can respond in a kinder, more self-compassionate way. We need to give our self permission to make time for our self, and to care for our self. Being more mindful will help you to achieve this - have you done mindfulness exercises? If not, now is the time to try some out - there are loads available online - go on give it a go!
If you recognise stress related eating and want to find out more about how to get started on your wellness weight journey join us in early 2022. Book our course directly here.
Dr Clare Neilson
Clinical Psychologist
November 2021
Shopping photo from World Obesity Federation Image Bank.
