In this modern age, almost all people face daily stress from sources such as a job, school, living conditions, or relationships as a matter of course. Health problems resulting from stress usually lie not with the actual cause of stress itself, but with the person`s response to the stress. Unfortunately, many people choose to automatically respond to daily stress factors with food. Interestingly enough, a study in Finland that examined stress related eating observed that the most frequent stressors for men were being single, unemployed, or having a low educational level, while for women, the most significant stressor was having a low level of emotional support.
Foods can change moods, as they trigger both chemical and emotional changes in the body. These changes can help to temporarily bring about a feeling of calmness, but this positive feeling doesn`t last for long. The problems caused by stress related eating, such as unwanted weight gain and guilty emotions, can quickly overweight these good feelings. The negative thoughts from these results of stress related eating can turn into a vicious cycle, causing you to turn to food, which then results in more guilt, and so on.
Good news, though! This cycle can be broken with an effective stress related eating management regime that curbs the need to feed emotional, rather than physical hunger. Stress depletes the body`s neurotransmitters which help to regulate emotions, but many other things than food can maximize these feel good triggers. Exercise is an excellent choice, as it not only releases endorphins, but it also burns calories and increases health. An effective exercise program doesn`t have to be expensive or elaborate; anything that gets you moving is a positive step.
In any successful stress related eating program, it is also critical to understand the specific purpose that food is serving in your situation. Keeping a food diary can be useful; for a week, write down information on what, where, and when you eat, as well as your feelings before, while, and after eating. This diary can be helpful in identifying trigger situations that lead to stress related eating behaviors, which can be the first step to correcting the situation.
Pay close scrutiny to the feelings identified in your food diary. Analyze the feelings associated with stress related eating for patterns that point to past loss or trauma, which can be reactivated by a trigger occurrence in the present. These past events can be varied, such as an unstable childhood, abuse, or a serious injury or illness, but all these events have the common attribute of being potential triggers for present day stress related eating problems. Sessions with a Professional Counselor may be an effective solution to resolving the persistent feelings associated with past events.
Mending stress related eating problems is a difficult procedure, but the more you find about yourself and care for your body and emotional health, the less likely you will use food to deal with stress.
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