Today’s topic is STRESS EATING or also called EMOTIONAL EATING. Are you struggling with the impact of all the uncertainties, changes and restrictions? Don’t worry, you are not alone.

Here is Part 2 of our series of our Choice Nutrition daily health and wellness tips – make sure to LIKE our Facebook page and LIKE & SHARE our posts so you don’t miss out on the next one!

Chronic and prolonged stress eating can trigger a chain reaction of health issues, such as weight gain, poor sleep quality, metabolic syndrome, heart disease or diabetes! So let’s be proactive and stay healthy so we can support our families, loved ones and be strong for our communities!

DO YOU…

• overeat?
• mindlessly munch on something all the time?
• eat late at night?
• eat when you’re nervous, sad or mad?
• live on fast foods or junk foods due to lack of time?
• crave sweets, salty or fatty foods?
• skip meals or forget to eat?

HERE ARE SOME SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO BREAK THE CYCLE!

1. EAT A PROTEIN RICH BREAKFAST EACH MORNING Your first meal of the day is important. Protein helps you curb your hunger longer and will not give you the “crash” that sugary foods do.

2. EAT LOW-GLYCEMIC WHOLE FOODS The glycemic index (GI) measures the rise in blood sugar after consuming food – a higher GI food causes a greater spike in blood sugar, that can feed the stress cycle. Foods high in fiber result in a lower glycemic load (GL) and a lower rise in blood sugar. As a rule, stick with whole foods (nuts, whole grains, raw fruits and vegetables) that are minimally processed. Avoid foods that are packaged, high in sugar, and/or fried. There are many reliable sources on the internet that list the GI / GL of foods to help you define your eating habits. If you feel lost and need additional help in creating a new eating plan – do not hesitate to reach out to us!

3. EAT SMALLER MEALS, EAT MORE FREQUENTLY Keep your brain happy by eating 3 meals and 2 snacks daily in order to maintain blood sugar at a healthy level, which may prevent late night snacking. Smaller portions! When we are stressed we tend to eat too much too fast, missing the point of when we are full. Smaller portions also mean fewer excess calories at meals that can potentially be stored as fat.

4. DON’T FEED EMOTIONS WITH JUNK FOOD Ask yourself if you are really hungry when reaching for food, or if you are craving food as an attempt to cope with your emotions, such as for entertainment when bored, to fill a void when you are dissatisfied with something in your life, as a “reward” when stressed or to “trying to make yourself feel better”. Instead, step back and assess the situation – maybe read our health tips on immediate stress relief strategies in yesterday’s post, maybe call a friend, and if you HAVE to eat – choose something healthy such as fresh fruit or vegetables.

5. FIND NEW COMFORT FOODS Your favourite foods (or the ones you crave in times of stress) may also be the worst for you. If this sounds familiar, make sure to keep low GL foods on hand and try to change your habits. When you suddenly crave soda, go with bubbly mineral water – maybe sweetened with some real fruit juice. Or if you crave cookies, consider eating a piece of fruit with a nut butter spread.

6. DON’T CHANGE YOUR LIFE – CHANGE YOUR RESPONSE Sometimes we do not have the power to change our circumstances, but we can change how we respond to them. By lessening the impact we learn to cope better, and are able to function in times of challenge without sacrificing our health and well being or affecting those around us.

One product we HIGHLY RECOMMEND for anyone to add to their daily routine is called TAKA, a power packed, healthy nutritional drink mix, which we fully endorse and we stand behind its quality and efficacy.