Controlling Stress Induced Weight Gain

Emotional eating is one of the leading causes of weight gain, so it only makes sense that when you’re under stress it becomes more difficult to maintain your medical weight loss plan. Stress causes us to turn to comfort foods in order to fulfill our emotional needs and before long we find ourselves nibbling even when not hungry.

You can, however, control your stress induced eating to maintain your weight loss plan. Before the next unexpected cause of stress blindsides you, sit down and formulate a plan for dealing with stress induced eating. Recognize first the signs of stress; for everybody they’re different. Do you get angry, frustrated or irritable? Perhaps you feel overwhelmed. Next, consider how best to counteract the stress before it has you reaching for the bag of chips. Perhaps a walk in the warm Ocala sunshine, or take a few minutes for yourself to meditate.

Skipping meals is like candy to stress. Never skip meals or you’re likely to be seriously unprepared when stress hits. There’s nothing like hunger and stress to have you overeating and over indulging when moderation is really what you’re after. Always eat regular meals and snacks to stave off stress induced eating.

Finally, convince yourself to take a five minute break. When stress has you seeing spots and you just want to dive into that cheeseburger, take a five minute break to clear your head. Chances are when you come back you won’t be so tempted. If all else fails, keep some healthy snacks handy for those emergencies.

There’s more to weight loss than just dealing with food. Unwanted and unanticipated stress can derail any weight loss plan in no time. Being prepared, however, will help you remain control during times of potentially stress induced eating.