How to Overcome Stress Eating During the Holidays

The last-minute gifts, surprise bills, emergencies; the holidays bring with them stressful situations. Many of us turn to stress eating as a coping mechanism for the out-of-control emotions we feel. We want to remember why we celebrate, but somehow, that gets lost in the chaos.

After a long streak of repeated behavior, our brains create neural pathways for bad habits. The good news is that you can break bad habits and create new ones surrounding your eating patterns. You can create new neural pathways by taking action. It is time to take control of stress eating.

Like a city whose walls are broken through is a person who lacks self-control. – Proverbs 25:28, NIV

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Why We Stress Eat

Food tickles the pleasure centers of our brains. When we consume something high in sugar, fat, or salt, such as ice cream, our brains register this pleasure as a reward. When we reward ourselves after a stressful day, the brain hardwires this cause and effect into its pathways.

The next time we experience stress, the brain sends a message that we should eat something pleasurable right away to relieve the stress. The urge to eat intensifies until we give in or resist it completely and allow the impulse to dissipate.

Stress eating becomes an unhealthy habit. We crave pleasure from the feel-good chemicals that the brain releases when we consume food. We must learn to break the bad habit of stress eating and rewire the neural pathways to turn to other activities for stress management.

Tips for Overcoming Stress Eating This Holiday

You already have a lot on your plate (no pun intended). You need a quick list of actionable items to start today to reduce your chances of falling prey to stress eating.

The following list includes things you can do today. Set aside a few minutes to choose the tasks that speak to you and then schedule them. Think of these tasks as important appointments that you cannot skip. They are non-negotiables in your day. When you feel the urge to eat emotionally, do one of the tasks instead. Eventually, a new neural pathway will make it easier to resist the impulse to eat and choose a more productive behavior.

Eat on a schedule

If you skip meals, you leave yourself prone to stress eating at the first opportunity. Plan to eat a small meal or snack every three to four hours. This gives your stomach time to digest food and balance blood sugar. The stomach has an easier time digesting whole foods, such as lean proteins, complex carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables, and healthy fats.

Stay hydrated

We often think we are hungry when what we are is dehydrated. Drink at least eight glasses of water or the proper amount for you, as suggested by your doctor. Water makes up volume in your stomach and can make you feel fuller, lowering your appetite. Drinking water makes feeling your hunger cues (an empty stomach) easier than sugary drinks that keep your blood sugar too high.

Walk more during the holidays

Getting out and about might be all you need to keep from stress eating. If the kitchen or snack drawer is too close and you are stressed, walk around the block. Getting away from the food might be the change of scenery you need to forget about your sudden cravings. Walking boosts leptin, the hormone responsible for appetite control.

Aim for quality sleep

Your brain and body will search for fast carbs for a pick-me-up when you are too tired. Simple carbohydrates convert quickly to sugar in the bloodstream. Aim for at least seven to eight hours of sleep each night and take one day a week to rest and relax.

Exercise with weights

Strength training with weights or body-weight resistance is a great stress reliever. When you lift weights, you focus on proper form, breath, and amount of weight. The exercises make tiny tears in the muscle that, once repaired, grow stronger. Work up to strength training at least two days per week.

Practice stretching

Work out the tension and knots with a good stretching session. Remember the stretches you did in gym class? Try a few of those, holding each pose for several seconds. You can find free videos on YouTube of stretching videos of various lengths.

Take a hot bath

When was the last time you soaked in the bathtub? Soaking in a tub filled with hot water can help you relax. The hot bath eases muscles and tension, relieving headaches and minor aches and pains. Add a few stretches while in the water to unkink your joints and get more from the movement.

Sip something warm

Sipping a warm drink can improve your body’s natural response to stress. You may want to choose warm water with lemon juice, tea, coffee, milk, or hot cocoa. If it is within a few hours of bedtime, stick to decaffeinated drinks, as caffeine can keep your central nervous system wired.

Call a friend

If you are at your wit’s end, pick up the phone and call a friend instead of reaching for something to eat. Today, too many of us text or message friends. Although this is fine, it leaves our hands free to get into things. Try video-calling your friend for accountability. You may be less likely to stress eat in front of them.

Choose smaller plates

Portion control goes out the window during a stress-eating episode. You might eat straight out of a bag of candy or chips, a pint of ice cream, or a too-large cereal bowl. The best way to catch yourself is to be prepared by keeping small containers on hand. Small containers holding 1/8, ¼, and ½ cup servings may be just enough to allow you a taste without going overboard. Smaller plates, about the size of salad plates and saucers, work well for impulsive meals and desserts.

Focus on the conversation

When you want to emotionally eat, spark up a conversation. Focus on the people around you. For example, if all you can think about is stopping at the café and ordering a dozen donuts after Christmas shopping, invite a friend to join you in picking up a hot drink and talking for a while. At home, move away from the food and focus on the conversation. It might be harder to stress eat large quantities of food in front of other people.

Get away from temptation

Sometimes, it is better just to walk away when your emotions run high and you feel vulnerable. For example, if a coworker brings snacks into the break room for the holidays, consider eating or taking your coffee to another area or outside.

If you are at home, you may want to assign a place away from the regular food for all your tempting treats. If the local coffee shop’s cherry cordial hot cocoa continues to call your name on your commute, reroute your commute until the season ends.

Spend time in God’s Word

Busyness and stress bring with them anxiety, worry, and depression. Our schedules become so chaotic that we leave out the most important part of our day: spending time with God in prayer and His word. Yet, if we could sacrifice this time for Him to worship and listen to what He wants us to know, He will multiply our time back.

Whether you spend fifteen minutes in the morning or at the end of the day, meet with God and allow Him to take control of your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.

Looking for a counselor?

Struggling with stress eating? Do your emotions get the best of you during the holiday season? Contact our office today to speak with a representative who can connect you with a counselor. Stress eating can become a past behavior. Give us a call today.