August 12, 2024 • 19 mins
Do you find yourself reaching for cookies or chips every time stress hits?
You're not alone. Today, on the 2% Solution, we unravel the complex relationship between stress and our cravings for comfort foods.
Discover how cortisol, the infamous stress hormone, triggers an urge for sugary, fatty, and salty snacks and why these cravings offer only a fleeting sense of relief. I open up about my battles with emotional eating, revealing the deeper issues it masked and how understanding the brain's coping mechanisms can empower us to break free from this cycle.
Ready to transform your stress-eating habits?
We share actionable strategies to nourish both your mind and body. Learn how mindful eating, effective stress management techniques, and keeping healthy snacks at your fingertips can make a difference.
Resources
- The Cortisol Episode
- American Psychological Association
- Journal of Obesity
- Mayo Clinic
- National Institute of Mental Health
- Stress Management Society
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Dai M.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Dai Manuel (00:08):
Hey, my wellness warriors, welcome back to
another episode of the 2%Solution.
I'm your host, diamond Will,and today we're diving into a
topic that hits home for many ofus Stress eating, otherwise
known as emotional eating,eating out of habit eating,
otherwise known as emotionaleating, eating out of habit.
(00:29):
You know, I'm someone thatknows emotional eating quite
well.
I learned from an early agethat I could eat my emotions,
and what I mean by that is Icould eat certain foods that
would manipulate how I wouldfeel in the moment, and there's
lots of things at work thatmakes that sort of uplifting
effect.
We get that little dopaminerelease when we eat certain
types of foods and it can becomereally problematic, you know,
(00:52):
especially if we're using it asa way to cope with a lot of
stress, anxiety, depression orother negative emotions or
negative situations, because youknow those moments when life
feels overwhelming and suddenyou find yourself elbow deep in
a bag of chips or finishing thatpint of ice cream.
(01:13):
We've all been there.
So today we're going to unpackwhy stress makes you overeat and
, more importantly, what you cando about it.
So buckle up, my friends, let'stackle this together.
Let's get into the nitty gritty.
Why does stress make us want toeat everything in sight.
It all comes down to cortisol,often called the stress hormone.
(01:38):
If you remember, in an earlierepisode a few weeks back, I
talked a lot about the stresshormone called cortisol.
More importantly, what I'vebeen doing to manage my cortisol
levels more effectively, whichhas had a really big shift,
especially on how much fat Iretain as well as inflammation I
retain in my body, and so ifyou want more on that, I'll
(01:59):
include in the show notes thelink to the cortisol episode.
So if you want to do more of adeep dive on that, I definitely
invite you to go check it out,because when we're stressed,
your body releases cortisol,which triggering effect of
cravings for, like sugary, fattyand often salty foods.
These comfort foods temporarilymake us feel better, usually by
(02:20):
boosting some of those chemicalsI was referring to serotonin,
dopamine.
These are like the feel goodchemicals in our brains.
Imagine your brain as athermostat trying to maintain a
comfortable temperature.
When stress hits, it's like thethermostat gets cranked up way
too high, making you feel hotand uncomfortable, maybe a
(02:41):
little bit bothered.
To cool down, your brainreaches for comfort foods,
similar to how you might turn ona fan or air conditioning to
cool a room.
These foods act like a quickfix, temporarily lowering the
temperature and making you feelmore comfortable.
However, just like relying on afan constantly, without
addressing the underlyingheating issue, leaning on
(03:03):
comfort foods doesn't solve theunderlying heating issue.
Leaning on comfort foodsdoesn't solve the root cause of
your stress.
But here's the kicker Accordingto the American Psychological
Association, 27% of adults admitto eating to manage stress and
of those, 34% say they eat morethan they usually would when
feeling stressed.
So it's not just in your head.
(03:27):
Stress really does lead toovereating.
It's a biological responsedesigned to help you cope, but
it can backfire if it becomes ahabit.
All right, story time.
You know I like to tell somestories.
A few years ago I mean morethan a few years, actually, now
I think it's going back almost adecade Some of you may be
(03:47):
familiar with some of my stories.
I've talked about me beinghospitalized through burnout and
then also discovering I have anautoimmune condition.
And just you know, there's beensome pretty big health scares.
But you know I look at them asmore as wake up calls.
They were these momentsbringing my awareness to
something that I obviouslywasn't paying attention to.
(04:08):
And as soon as I started payingattention to it and started
changing certain things changingcertain foods and how I moved,
how I recover things slowlycorrected itself.
And this is the one thing Iwant to really hammer home today
is that as soon as you decideto start making some changes,
you'll start making some changes.
It seems rather simple andalmost idiotic how simple it is
(04:31):
right.
You're probably yelling at thething yeah, duh, duh.
Well, yeah, duh duh.
If we all knew it and adheredto it, the world would be a
different place, right?
And so I think back to sort ofhow I used to live life,
especially when it came to mypersonal and professional lives.
They were so tightly woventogether that I rarely had any
(04:54):
space for anything other thanthose two things, specifically
around family and my career.
And as I juggled work and family, as well as trying to fit in my
training, my fitness, I thoughtthat I had everything under
control, but the stress, theanxiety, started to creep in
more and more.
Before I knew it, I wasreaching for a lot of snacks.
(05:17):
That's where my downfallkryptonite was reaching for
sugary and salty treats.
I don't discriminate againstsnacks.
To be honest with you, I eatpretty much everything, and not
the healthiest of options too,if you've got a lot of certain
types of things within grasp.
But I was reaching for snacks alot more often and
(05:38):
unfortunately they weren't thehealthy options.
And one night after aparticularly stressful day, I
stood in front of the fridgestaring at a half-eaten
cheesecake.
I wasn't just staring at it, Istarted to pick at it and this
was really my wake-up call.
I realized I wasn't eatingbecause I was hungry.
I was eating because I wasstressed, I was dealing with
(06:03):
some negative emotions and Ididn't know how to deal with it
Because I was avoiding dealingwith it.
I was like I'd rather doanything but deal with these
emotions, because it's hard,it's uncomfortable, I don't like
it, I don't like it, I don'tlike how I feel.
And it's way easier to eat thishalf a cheesecake and
manipulate my body and brain andemotional state to feel better,
(06:25):
even if it's only temporary,because it's only temporary.
But this experience taught me avaluable lesson Understanding
the why behind your eatinghabits is the first step in
taking control.
So just a little mindfulcheck-in before you eat
something.
It's like hey, am I choosing toeat this?
Am I aware I'm eating this.
(06:46):
Is this the best option I canmake right now, given my current
situation?
Is this a food I would be proudto brag about?
Because I always find thisinteresting?
I'll go to a social event andoften where they'll have food
and snacks and inevitably it'skind of buffet style, and when
(07:06):
people find out I'm in thehealth or wellness space, they
instinctively will start to lookat me as we're walking around
the buffet table.
And they'll always look at meand be like hey, don't judge me,
you know.
And they say what kind of?
With a smile, jokingly don'tjudge me, you know.
And like I'm like I'm not hereto judge you, I don't care, you
know, honestly, I don't care.
This is your choice to liveyour life the way you want to
(07:27):
live.
I'm not here to judge you aboutthat.
Um, but if you're unhappy andyou find that certain results
are not coming, you have tostart to look at the things that
you do on the day-to-day andthe regular.
Anyways, where I was going withthis is I just think it's
rather interesting that we arequick to eat a certain way, but
(07:48):
when public opinion starts toweigh in on us, we start to
think rather negatively aboutourselves and this is also a
downward spiral, because wemight find ourselves binge
eating or like I used to do.
My emotional eating was oftendone away from everybody else.
I did it in private becausedeep down I felt a lot of shame
about it and that was somethingI had to work through.
(08:11):
It took a lot of years.
I had a great therapist help meunpack a lot of that and repack
it, and so I do recommend that,if it's more of an emotional
and psychological strain andthat's the reason why it would
be worthwhile looking into aprofessional and maybe just
having a conversation seeing ifthat's what's needed to sort of
unblock that block that keepsthis habit in place.
(08:33):
Because we should talk aboutthe science A study published in
the Journal of Obesity foundthat chronic stress and elevated
cortisol levels are linked toincreased appetite cravings for
junk food and ultimately, thisleads to weight gain.
The research suggests thatstress-induced eating isn't just
about lacking willpower, though.
(08:55):
Research suggests thatstress-induced eating isn't just
about lacking willpower, though.
It is a physiological response.
So, as an example, imagine yourbody is a finely tuned
orchestra.
Now, under normal conditions,each instrument or, in this
situation, a hormone plays itspart perfectly well, creating a
harmonious balance, creating aharmonious balance.
(09:20):
However, when that stress hits,it's like a disruptive
conductor takes over, causingthe cortisol levels to spike.
This hormone, cortisol, startsbanging on the drums louder and
faster, drowning out the otherinstruments.
The result Chaos or, in ourcase, an overwhelming urge to
reach for comfort foods.
Now, these cravings are notrandom.
Cortisol specifically triggersa desire for sugary, fatty and
(09:44):
salty foods, because these foodscan temporarily boost serotonin
levels in the brain.
Acting like a soothing melodyamid the chaos, the serotonin
boost provides a fleeting senseof relief and comfort, much like
a lull in the storm.
But here's the catch Just likea temporary lull doesn't end a
storm, these comfort foods don'tresolve the underlying stress.
(10:06):
They offer a brief moment ofrespite, but the storm of stress
continues to rage and the cycleof stress eating perpetuates.
But don't worry, it's not alldoom and gloom.
The good news is that bymanaging stress and becoming
more mindful of our eatinghabits, we can break the cycle.
Think of it as learning tobecome your own conductor,
(10:27):
gradually taking control of theorchestra and restoring harmony.
By incorporating stress,reducing techniques and mindful
eating practices, you can quietthe disruptive drums of cortisol
and bring harmony back to yourbody's orchestra.
So what can you do to stopstress eating and stop NIMH?
Here's some practicalstrategies.
(10:49):
Number one is mindful eating.
Start paying attention to whatyou eat and why you're eating it
.
Are you truly hungry or are youjust stressed out?
Think of your hunger as atraffic light.
When you're truly hungry, it'sa green light signaling you to
eat.
When you're stressed, it's ared light warning you to stop
and evaluate.
A quick check-in with yourselfcan make all the difference.
(11:11):
Now number two is stressmanagement techniques.
So incorporate stress-reducingactivities into your routine.
So this can be like meditation,deep breathing exercises, quick
workout.
These practices can help lowercortisol levels.
So imagine your mind is apressure cooker.
Regular physical activity actslike the release valve,
(11:32):
preventing the buildup ofpressure and reducing the risk
of an emotional explosion.
According to the Mayo Clinic,regular physical activity is a
powerful tool for managingstress.
Now number three is healthysnacks.
This is a big one that I had tolean in on, and I started
preparing healthy snacks andloading my fridge with pre-made
(11:54):
healthy snacks, because it'salways when I have that
hankering I need something toeat, and I need it now.
If I got something healthy toreach for, I'll reach for it and
I'll eat that instead.
Eat that instead.
It's always when I don't havesomething prepped or ready to go
.
I tend to make quick reactions,reactionary choices, right,
reaching for whatever's in frontof me, because keep healthy
(12:16):
snacks on hand for when thecravings hit, because they will
hit.
Nuts, fruits and veggies cansatisfy hunger without the guilt
.
And think of these snacks asyour emergency kit during that
storm we were talking aboutearlier, just as you would
prepare a kit with essentials toweather a storm.
Having healthy snacks ready canhelp you navigate through
stress without succumbing tounhealthy cravings.
(12:40):
My wife always has usually aprotein bar or a meal
replacement bar in her purse,also in the console of the
vehicle, because she knows whenI and and you know I'm usually
pretty good at this but there'sthose days where I just forget I
get busy.
I've got a lot of stuff goingon and all of a sudden you know
it's like four hours since Ilast ate and we're in the car
(13:02):
going somewhere and she couldtell I mean, I'm pretty, you can
tell.
You can tell when my energy isoff.
All right, I'm a prettyoptimistic, positive dude, but
when I start to get hungry, it'sa few quick steps and I'm from
hungry to hangry.
All right, and my wife knowsthis about me after 23 years, so
she's very quick to throw thesebars at me rather quickly and
(13:25):
aggressively.
If I get to that place, welaugh it off.
I laugh it off, I receive itwith open arms and an open mouth
and, uh, these healthy snackshave been savor, uh, huge, uh,
lifesavers for our relationship.
To be quite honest, cause, uh,some of our heated conversations
or passionate debates.
Yeah, you see, I'm even tryingto be optimistic with how we
(13:47):
fight.
Uh, you know it, even trying tobe optimistic with how we fight
, it will largely be dependenton some of my food choices,
because I know my energy isgreatly affected by how I
nourish my body throughout theday, and emotionally I'm much
more stable when I've eaten andI think we can all relate to
this.
We slept well, we're wellhydrated and we've been eating
well.
We feel better.
(14:07):
We just feel better, and whenwe feel better, we think better.
We usually act better.
We make better decisions.
Maybe there's a trend here andagain.
Plugging into that is a greatthing to consider.
Now, I just mentioned hydration.
It is number four on my list.
Sometimes we mistake thirst forhunger.
Drink a glass of water beforereaching for a snack to see if
(14:30):
that curbs your craving.
Picture your body as awell-tended garden.
Just as plants need water tothrive, and not just any
nutrient, your body needshydration to function properly.
Often a glass of water canrefresh your system and stave
off unnecessary snacking.
Food for thought.
Pardon the pun, but when you'reslightly dehydrated, your
(14:54):
metabolism slows a little bit,and there's been some studies
that have looked at people andmost people are in some level of
dehydration at any given time,just based on lack of hydration
or the kind of drinks that we doconsume.
A lot, especially in NorthAmerica and this is becoming
more global is we see a lot ofpeople drinking sugar-sweetened
beverages, right, or sodas, orcaffeinated beverages.
(15:18):
Now, a lot of these drinks notonly are high in calories, but
they also have a diuretic effect, especially if they have lots
of caffeine in it, and we haveto be mindful that we're
drinking this, thinking thatwe're drinking fluids, but it
might actually be creating agreater amount of urge to flush
fluids.
So if you are consuming a lotof caffeinated products, be sure
(15:40):
to compensate and add in a twoto one.
So I have a little rule ofthumb.
If I allow myself a coffee inthe day, that's great, I love my
coffee.
If I have a little rule ofthumb, if I allow myself a
coffee in the day, that's great,I love my coffee.
If I have a cup of coffee, likeeight ounces of coffee or 12
ounces, I'm going to follow itup with at least eight to 12
ounces of water and in effect Ioften try to double it.
So I usually try to do a two toone ratio.
I find it makes me feel better,I get less anxious and I just,
(16:08):
I find my energy just stays morelevel.
So again, something to consider.
Yeah, anyways.
Number five let's go on.
That's enough about that.
That's all I got to say aboutthat.
One Sleep.
Don't underestimate the powerof a good night's sleep.
Poor sleep can increasecortisol levels and make you
more susceptible to stresseating.
Aim for seven to nine hours ofquality sleep per night.
(16:30):
Think of sleep as themaintenance crew for your brain
and your body.
Just like a well-maintained carruns smoothly, a well-rested
body handles stress better,reducing the likelihood of
stress-induced eating.
So again, just to remind you,here's five things you can do to
start eating less stressful.
(16:53):
What?
No, that makes no sense.
You know what I mean.
You'll stop less emotionaleating, less stress eating.
All right, just all these fivethings.
Number one mindful eating.
Number two, stress managementtechniques.
Number three, healthy snacking.
Number four four, hydration.
And number five, which wealways love, is sleep.
Now got some final thoughts aswe finish today's episode.
(17:16):
If you want to dive deeper intothis topic, I highly recommend
researching resources from theAmerican Psychological
Association, the Journal ofObesity and the Mayo Clinic.
All are great places to learnmore about the connection
between stress and eating habits.
The American PsychologicalAssociation offers a wealth of
info on stress managementtechniques and how stress
(17:36):
affects your mental and physicalhealth.
There's articles, guides, evenwebinars that can provide you
with practical tools to managestress more effectively.
Tools to manage stress moreeffectively.
Journal of Obesity, myoclinicalso both great resources and
tons of things for you to diveinto.
Just be forewarned they aremassive websites with a lot of
(17:58):
research and studies andarticles, videos.
It just really leverages thesearch functionality.
And lastly, remember, overcomingstress, eating is a marathon,
it's not a sprint.
It's essential right To be kindto yourself.
Recognize that changes do taketime, but celebrate the small
(18:18):
victories along the way, likechoosing a healthy snack over
junk food or taking a fewmoments to breathe deeply when
you feel overwhelmed.
You're not alone in thisjourney.
Many people struggle withstress eating, but by becoming
more mindful and employing thestrategies discussed today, I
know you can take control ofyour eating habits.
Positive reinforcement iscrucial.
(18:39):
Acknowledge your progress, nomatter how small, and keep
pushing forward.
You're building a healthier,more resilient you, one action
at a time.
Stay strong, stay focused andremember that every small change
you make is a step towards ahealthier, happier you.
All right, my warriors.
That's it for today's episodeon stress eating.
(19:01):
Remember understanding whyyou're eating is as important as
what you eat.
By taking control of yourstress, you can take control of
your eating habits, and that's abig win for your overall health
.
Thanks for tuning in to the 2%Solution.
If you enjoyed the episodetoday, share it with a friend
who might need a little reminderto stay mindful of their eating
(19:21):
habits.
Don't forget to follow us onsocial media and leave a review
if you love the show.
Stay strong, stay focused andkeep pushing your limits.
I'm Don Manuel and you've beenlistening to the 2% Solution.
Let's keep thriving togetherand I'll see you next time.
Hey, my wellness warriors, welcome back to
another episode of the 2%Solution.
I'm your host, diamond Will,and today we're diving into a
topic that hits home for many ofus Stress eating, otherwise
known as emotional eating,eating out of habit eating,
otherwise known as emotionaleating, eating out of habit.
(00:29):
You know, I'm someone thatknows emotional eating quite
well.
I learned from an early agethat I could eat my emotions,
and what I mean by that is Icould eat certain foods that
would manipulate how I wouldfeel in the moment, and there's
lots of things at work thatmakes that sort of uplifting
effect.
We get that little dopaminerelease when we eat certain
types of foods and it can becomereally problematic, you know,
(00:52):
especially if we're using it asa way to cope with a lot of
stress, anxiety, depression orother negative emotions or
negative situations, because youknow those moments when life
feels overwhelming and suddenyou find yourself elbow deep in
a bag of chips or finishing thatpint of ice cream.
(01:13):
We've all been there.
So today we're going to unpackwhy stress makes you overeat and
, more importantly, what you cando about it.
So buckle up, my friends, let'stackle this together.
Let's get into the nitty gritty.
Why does stress make us want toeat everything in sight.
It all comes down to cortisol,often called the stress hormone.
(01:38):
If you remember, in an earlierepisode a few weeks back, I
talked a lot about the stresshormone called cortisol.
More importantly, what I'vebeen doing to manage my cortisol
levels more effectively, whichhas had a really big shift,
especially on how much fat Iretain as well as inflammation I
retain in my body, and so ifyou want more on that, I'll
(01:59):
include in the show notes thelink to the cortisol episode.
So if you want to do more of adeep dive on that, I definitely
invite you to go check it out,because when we're stressed,
your body releases cortisol,which triggering effect of
cravings for, like sugary, fattyand often salty foods.
These comfort foods temporarilymake us feel better, usually by
(02:20):
boosting some of those chemicalsI was referring to serotonin,
dopamine.
These are like the feel goodchemicals in our brains.
Imagine your brain as athermostat trying to maintain a
comfortable temperature.
When stress hits, it's like thethermostat gets cranked up way
too high, making you feel hotand uncomfortable, maybe a
(02:41):
little bit bothered.
To cool down, your brainreaches for comfort foods,
similar to how you might turn ona fan or air conditioning to
cool a room.
These foods act like a quickfix, temporarily lowering the
temperature and making you feelmore comfortable.
However, just like relying on afan constantly, without
addressing the underlyingheating issue, leaning on
(03:03):
comfort foods doesn't solve theunderlying heating issue.
Leaning on comfort foodsdoesn't solve the root cause of
your stress.
But here's the kicker Accordingto the American Psychological
Association, 27% of adults admitto eating to manage stress and
of those, 34% say they eat morethan they usually would when
feeling stressed.
So it's not just in your head.
(03:27):
Stress really does lead toovereating.
It's a biological responsedesigned to help you cope, but
it can backfire if it becomes ahabit.
All right, story time.
You know I like to tell somestories.
A few years ago I mean morethan a few years, actually, now
I think it's going back almost adecade Some of you may be
(03:47):
familiar with some of my stories.
I've talked about me beinghospitalized through burnout and
then also discovering I have anautoimmune condition.
And just you know, there's beensome pretty big health scares.
But you know I look at them asmore as wake up calls.
They were these momentsbringing my awareness to
something that I obviouslywasn't paying attention to.
(04:08):
And as soon as I started payingattention to it and started
changing certain things changingcertain foods and how I moved,
how I recover things slowlycorrected itself.
And this is the one thing Iwant to really hammer home today
is that as soon as you decideto start making some changes,
you'll start making some changes.
It seems rather simple andalmost idiotic how simple it is
(04:31):
right.
You're probably yelling at thething yeah, duh, duh.
Well, yeah, duh duh.
If we all knew it and adheredto it, the world would be a
different place, right?
And so I think back to sort ofhow I used to live life,
especially when it came to mypersonal and professional lives.
They were so tightly woventogether that I rarely had any
(04:54):
space for anything other thanthose two things, specifically
around family and my career.
And as I juggled work and family, as well as trying to fit in my
training, my fitness, I thoughtthat I had everything under
control, but the stress, theanxiety, started to creep in
more and more.
Before I knew it, I wasreaching for a lot of snacks.
(05:17):
That's where my downfallkryptonite was reaching for
sugary and salty treats.
I don't discriminate againstsnacks.
To be honest with you, I eatpretty much everything, and not
the healthiest of options too,if you've got a lot of certain
types of things within grasp.
But I was reaching for snacks alot more often and
(05:38):
unfortunately they weren't thehealthy options.
And one night after aparticularly stressful day, I
stood in front of the fridgestaring at a half-eaten
cheesecake.
I wasn't just staring at it, Istarted to pick at it and this
was really my wake-up call.
I realized I wasn't eatingbecause I was hungry.
I was eating because I wasstressed, I was dealing with
(06:03):
some negative emotions and Ididn't know how to deal with it
Because I was avoiding dealingwith it.
I was like I'd rather doanything but deal with these
emotions, because it's hard,it's uncomfortable, I don't like
it, I don't like it, I don'tlike how I feel.
And it's way easier to eat thishalf a cheesecake and
manipulate my body and brain andemotional state to feel better,
(06:25):
even if it's only temporary,because it's only temporary.
But this experience taught me avaluable lesson Understanding
the why behind your eatinghabits is the first step in
taking control.
So just a little mindfulcheck-in before you eat
something.
It's like hey, am I choosing toeat this?
Am I aware I'm eating this.
(06:46):
Is this the best option I canmake right now, given my current
situation?
Is this a food I would be proudto brag about?
Because I always find thisinteresting?
I'll go to a social event andoften where they'll have food
and snacks and inevitably it'skind of buffet style, and when
(07:06):
people find out I'm in thehealth or wellness space, they
instinctively will start to lookat me as we're walking around
the buffet table.
And they'll always look at meand be like hey, don't judge me,
you know.
And they say what kind of?
With a smile, jokingly don'tjudge me, you know.
And like I'm like I'm not hereto judge you, I don't care, you
know, honestly, I don't care.
This is your choice to liveyour life the way you want to
(07:27):
live.
I'm not here to judge you aboutthat.
Um, but if you're unhappy andyou find that certain results
are not coming, you have tostart to look at the things that
you do on the day-to-day andthe regular.
Anyways, where I was going withthis is I just think it's
rather interesting that we arequick to eat a certain way, but
(07:48):
when public opinion starts toweigh in on us, we start to
think rather negatively aboutourselves and this is also a
downward spiral, because wemight find ourselves binge
eating or like I used to do.
My emotional eating was oftendone away from everybody else.
I did it in private becausedeep down I felt a lot of shame
about it and that was somethingI had to work through.
(08:11):
It took a lot of years.
I had a great therapist help meunpack a lot of that and repack
it, and so I do recommend that,if it's more of an emotional
and psychological strain andthat's the reason why it would
be worthwhile looking into aprofessional and maybe just
having a conversation seeing ifthat's what's needed to sort of
unblock that block that keepsthis habit in place.
(08:33):
Because we should talk aboutthe science A study published in
the Journal of Obesity foundthat chronic stress and elevated
cortisol levels are linked toincreased appetite cravings for
junk food and ultimately, thisleads to weight gain.
The research suggests thatstress-induced eating isn't just
about lacking willpower, though.
(08:55):
Research suggests thatstress-induced eating isn't just
about lacking willpower, though.
It is a physiological response.
So, as an example, imagine yourbody is a finely tuned
orchestra.
Now, under normal conditions,each instrument or, in this
situation, a hormone plays itspart perfectly well, creating a
harmonious balance, creating aharmonious balance.
(09:20):
However, when that stress hits,it's like a disruptive
conductor takes over, causingthe cortisol levels to spike.
This hormone, cortisol, startsbanging on the drums louder and
faster, drowning out the otherinstruments.
The result Chaos or, in ourcase, an overwhelming urge to
reach for comfort foods.
Now, these cravings are notrandom.
Cortisol specifically triggersa desire for sugary, fatty and
(09:44):
salty foods, because these foodscan temporarily boost serotonin
levels in the brain.
Acting like a soothing melodyamid the chaos, the serotonin
boost provides a fleeting senseof relief and comfort, much like
a lull in the storm.
But here's the catch Just likea temporary lull doesn't end a
storm, these comfort foods don'tresolve the underlying stress.
(10:06):
They offer a brief moment ofrespite, but the storm of stress
continues to rage and the cycleof stress eating perpetuates.
But don't worry, it's not alldoom and gloom.
The good news is that bymanaging stress and becoming
more mindful of our eatinghabits, we can break the cycle.
Think of it as learning tobecome your own conductor,
(10:27):
gradually taking control of theorchestra and restoring harmony.
By incorporating stress,reducing techniques and mindful
eating practices, you can quietthe disruptive drums of cortisol
and bring harmony back to yourbody's orchestra.
So what can you do to stopstress eating and stop NIMH?
Here's some practicalstrategies.
(10:49):
Number one is mindful eating.
Start paying attention to whatyou eat and why you're eating it
.
Are you truly hungry or are youjust stressed out?
Think of your hunger as atraffic light.
When you're truly hungry, it'sa green light signaling you to
eat.
When you're stressed, it's ared light warning you to stop
and evaluate.
A quick check-in with yourselfcan make all the difference.
(11:11):
Now number two is stressmanagement techniques.
So incorporate stress-reducingactivities into your routine.
So this can be like meditation,deep breathing exercises, quick
workout.
These practices can help lowercortisol levels.
So imagine your mind is apressure cooker.
Regular physical activity actslike the release valve,
(11:32):
preventing the buildup ofpressure and reducing the risk
of an emotional explosion.
According to the Mayo Clinic,regular physical activity is a
powerful tool for managingstress.
Now number three is healthysnacks.
This is a big one that I had tolean in on, and I started
preparing healthy snacks andloading my fridge with pre-made
(11:54):
healthy snacks, because it'salways when I have that
hankering I need something toeat, and I need it now.
If I got something healthy toreach for, I'll reach for it and
I'll eat that instead.
Eat that instead.
It's always when I don't havesomething prepped or ready to go
.
I tend to make quick reactions,reactionary choices, right,
reaching for whatever's in frontof me, because keep healthy
(12:16):
snacks on hand for when thecravings hit, because they will
hit.
Nuts, fruits and veggies cansatisfy hunger without the guilt
.
And think of these snacks asyour emergency kit during that
storm we were talking aboutearlier, just as you would
prepare a kit with essentials toweather a storm.
Having healthy snacks ready canhelp you navigate through
stress without succumbing tounhealthy cravings.
(12:40):
My wife always has usually aprotein bar or a meal
replacement bar in her purse,also in the console of the
vehicle, because she knows whenI and and you know I'm usually
pretty good at this but there'sthose days where I just forget I
get busy.
I've got a lot of stuff goingon and all of a sudden you know
it's like four hours since Ilast ate and we're in the car
(13:02):
going somewhere and she couldtell I mean, I'm pretty, you can
tell.
You can tell when my energy isoff.
All right, I'm a prettyoptimistic, positive dude, but
when I start to get hungry, it'sa few quick steps and I'm from
hungry to hangry.
All right, and my wife knowsthis about me after 23 years, so
she's very quick to throw thesebars at me rather quickly and
(13:25):
aggressively.
If I get to that place, welaugh it off.
I laugh it off, I receive itwith open arms and an open mouth
and, uh, these healthy snackshave been savor, uh, huge, uh,
lifesavers for our relationship.
To be quite honest, cause, uh,some of our heated conversations
or passionate debates.
Yeah, you see, I'm even tryingto be optimistic with how we
(13:47):
fight.
Uh, you know it, even trying tobe optimistic with how we fight
, it will largely be dependenton some of my food choices,
because I know my energy isgreatly affected by how I
nourish my body throughout theday, and emotionally I'm much
more stable when I've eaten andI think we can all relate to
this.
We slept well, we're wellhydrated and we've been eating
well.
We feel better.
(14:07):
We just feel better, and whenwe feel better, we think better.
We usually act better.
We make better decisions.
Maybe there's a trend here andagain.
Plugging into that is a greatthing to consider.
Now, I just mentioned hydration.
It is number four on my list.
Sometimes we mistake thirst forhunger.
Drink a glass of water beforereaching for a snack to see if
(14:30):
that curbs your craving.
Picture your body as awell-tended garden.
Just as plants need water tothrive, and not just any
nutrient, your body needshydration to function properly.
Often a glass of water canrefresh your system and stave
off unnecessary snacking.
Food for thought.
Pardon the pun, but when you'reslightly dehydrated, your
(14:54):
metabolism slows a little bit,and there's been some studies
that have looked at people andmost people are in some level of
dehydration at any given time,just based on lack of hydration
or the kind of drinks that we doconsume.
A lot, especially in NorthAmerica and this is becoming
more global is we see a lot ofpeople drinking sugar-sweetened
beverages, right, or sodas, orcaffeinated beverages.
(15:18):
Now, a lot of these drinks notonly are high in calories, but
they also have a diuretic effect, especially if they have lots
of caffeine in it, and we haveto be mindful that we're
drinking this, thinking thatwe're drinking fluids, but it
might actually be creating agreater amount of urge to flush
fluids.
So if you are consuming a lotof caffeinated products, be sure
(15:40):
to compensate and add in a twoto one.
So I have a little rule ofthumb.
If I allow myself a coffee inthe day, that's great, I love my
coffee.
If I have a little rule ofthumb, if I allow myself a
coffee in the day, that's great,I love my coffee.
If I have a cup of coffee, likeeight ounces of coffee or 12
ounces, I'm going to follow itup with at least eight to 12
ounces of water and in effect Ioften try to double it.
So I usually try to do a two toone ratio.
I find it makes me feel better,I get less anxious and I just,
(16:08):
I find my energy just stays morelevel.
So again, something to consider.
Yeah, anyways.
Number five let's go on.
That's enough about that.
That's all I got to say aboutthat.
One Sleep.
Don't underestimate the powerof a good night's sleep.
Poor sleep can increasecortisol levels and make you
more susceptible to stresseating.
Aim for seven to nine hours ofquality sleep per night.
(16:30):
Think of sleep as themaintenance crew for your brain
and your body.
Just like a well-maintained carruns smoothly, a well-rested
body handles stress better,reducing the likelihood of
stress-induced eating.
So again, just to remind you,here's five things you can do to
start eating less stressful.
(16:53):
What?
No, that makes no sense.
You know what I mean.
You'll stop less emotionaleating, less stress eating.
All right, just all these fivethings.
Number one mindful eating.
Number two, stress managementtechniques.
Number three, healthy snacking.
Number four four, hydration.
And number five, which wealways love, is sleep.
Now got some final thoughts aswe finish today's episode.
(17:16):
If you want to dive deeper intothis topic, I highly recommend
researching resources from theAmerican Psychological
Association, the Journal ofObesity and the Mayo Clinic.
All are great places to learnmore about the connection
between stress and eating habits.
The American PsychologicalAssociation offers a wealth of
info on stress managementtechniques and how stress
(17:36):
affects your mental and physicalhealth.
There's articles, guides, evenwebinars that can provide you
with practical tools to managestress more effectively.
Tools to manage stress moreeffectively.
Journal of Obesity, myoclinicalso both great resources and
tons of things for you to diveinto.
Just be forewarned they aremassive websites with a lot of
(17:58):
research and studies andarticles, videos.
It just really leverages thesearch functionality.
And lastly, remember, overcomingstress, eating is a marathon,
it's not a sprint.
It's essential right To be kindto yourself.
Recognize that changes do taketime, but celebrate the small
(18:18):
victories along the way, likechoosing a healthy snack over
junk food or taking a fewmoments to breathe deeply when
you feel overwhelmed.
You're not alone in thisjourney.
Many people struggle withstress eating, but by becoming
more mindful and employing thestrategies discussed today, I
know you can take control ofyour eating habits.
Positive reinforcement iscrucial.
(18:39):
Acknowledge your progress, nomatter how small, and keep
pushing forward.
You're building a healthier,more resilient you, one action
at a time.
Stay strong, stay focused andremember that every small change
you make is a step towards ahealthier, happier you.
All right, my warriors.
That's it for today's episodeon stress eating.
(19:01):
Remember understanding whyyou're eating is as important as
what you eat.
By taking control of yourstress, you can take control of
your eating habits, and that's abig win for your overall health
.
Thanks for tuning in to the 2%Solution.
If you enjoyed the episodetoday, share it with a friend
who might need a little reminderto stay mindful of their eating
(19:21):
habits.
Don't forget to follow us onsocial media and leave a review
if you love the show.
Stay strong, stay focused andkeep pushing your limits.
I'm Don Manuel and you've beenlistening to the 2% Solution.
Let's keep thriving togetherand I'll see you next time.
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