How to Stop Stress Eating: Simple, Expert-Backed Tips To Break the Habit
Simply pausing before reaching for an unhealthy snack can make a big difference
We’ve all reached for our favorite comfort food during a tough day or indulged in a sweet or salty snack to deal with anxiety. But while stress eating can soothe negative emotions in the moment, we know it’s not the healthiest habit in the long term. It can lead to guilt, physical discomfort, weight gain or other more serious wellness issues. To better understand how to stop stress eating and replace those unhealthy habits with more mindful techniques, we turned to the experts.
What is stress eating and how do you know you’re doing it?
“Stress eating or emotional eating is when someone uses food to ease boredom, sadness or stress instead of actual hunger,” says Michael Chichak, MD, medical director at MEDvidi. If you often find yourself chronically stressed, it can become a habit that affects your health.
While stress eating and simply eating during a stressful time can look similar, “stress eating happens outside of a regular eating pattern/schedule and tends to be more impulsive,” says Amy Shapiro MS, RD, CDN, lead nutritionist at ButcherBox and founder of Real Nutrition. She adds that you’ll keep wanting more and more food; you don’t feel satisfied after eating and can sometimes continue eating until you’re uncomfortably stuffed.
Woman's World Answers
But what’s actually going on in your body when you find yourself turning to food to reduce your stress levels? According to Shelley Balls, MDA, RDN, LDN, a registered dietitian and nutritionist for Consumer Health Digest, it’s a kind of stress response: “Stressful situations and circumstances trigger stress eating. During chronic stress, levels of the stress hormone cortisol are elevated for a prolonged period of time, which can lead to increased appetite and food consumption, fat storage and weight gain.”
Childhood food choices can also play a role
Some people also resort to stress eating because of the habits and coping mechanisms they developed during childhood. “If your mother made you macaroni and cheese when you were sick, you would tend to crave macaroni and cheese when you’re in a place where you feel down or stressed,” says Amy Goodson, RD, a dietitian in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
“When someone is tired and worn out, no one looks for broccoli,” she adds. “They are looking for something salty or sweet or creamy because the fat in those foods will help you feel more satisfied at the moment.”
How to stop stress eating
Stopping stress eating takes a mix of awareness and adopting healthier habits in response to stress, explains Shapiro. Some effective alternatives include:
Ask the hard questions
Before grabbing unhealthy foods, Shapiro says to ask yourself if you’re actually hungry or just feeling stressed, bored or emotional. This can help you identify hunger and fullness cues.
Dr. Chichak also suggests writing down when you feel stressed or what foods you tend to gravitate toward. “Recording what you eat alongside your feelings enables you to find patterns that could cause overeating,” he says.
Reach for healthier snacks
If you still want to snack, consider something healthier than foods high in sugar (like ice cream) or processed foods (like chips). Balls says a better bet is pairing a nutrient-dense food with complex carbohydrates—like fruits, vegetables and whole grains—with a protein-packed food like peanut butter or Greek yogurt to boost your nutrient intake and help control your snacking.
Her go-to snack? An apple with peanut butter yogurt dip (made with one part peanut butter and one part Greek vanilla yogurt). “This combination provides complex carbohydrates, protein, healthy fat and probiotics, which can help curb your desires and satisfy your need for a sweet treat,” she says.
Keep trigger foods out of reach
Having easy access to your favorite snack can make it harder to resist when you’re under stress. “If you tend to go for chips, cookies or sweets, keep them out of sight and stock up on healthier options like fruits, veggies or nuts,” says Shapiro.
Try a meditation walk
The next time tension strikes and you get the urge to snack, take a meditation walk instead. “A meditation walk redirects your attention from emotional cravings to the present moment, helping to break the automatic habit of reaching for snacks,” says Shapiro.
What is a meditation walk? It involves strolling at a relaxed pace while focusing on the present moment and engaging all of your senses. She adds that walking in nature or simply moving your body mindfully releases endorphins, which can naturally improve your mood without relying on food. To get started, check out the beginner-friendly video below:
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