Stress Over(Eating)
Don't let your social calendar hinder your efforts towards healthy living when the seasons are busy. You may be tempted to skip lunch or dinner in an effort to save room for a holiday get-together, work celebration or party food, but skipping meals can lead to extreme hunger and overeating. If you also find yourself facing a myriad of health symptoms like hypertension, elevated cholesterol, abdominal fat or obesity know that the added stress of social engagements and irregular eating patterns can take their toll. Diets high in sugar and refined carbohydrates, a lack of exercise and chronic stress are the most common causes for health concerns like these; the good news is that each of these is reversible with a few lifestyle tweaks (1).
manage your diet
Here’s the reality, when cortisol (a hormone) is elevated as a result of stress, a person will crave carb-rich foods like bread, pasta, potatoes, crackers and sugar. While these foods can temporarily calm emotions, they also increase blood sugar levels and serotonin (the happy hormone) levels in the brain. Unfortunately, a few hours after eating, blood sugar drops and insulin rises. When that insulin level remains high over time, the body stores it as fat and programs the body to stay in a fat storage mode, unable to burn off any other stored fat (1).
By failing to plan meals ahead of time, you may be tempted to grab the first prepared, prepackaged or drive thru meal you see during the chaos of the week. Make every effort to hit the grocery store at least once every week to grab a few pieces of fresh produce, gluten-free whole grains and even a few frozen vegetable mixes. When time is short for meal prepping, you’ll be able to put together a quick stir fry or sheet pan of roasted vegetables.
Eating multiple smaller meals throughout the day (think: breakfast, snack, small lunch, snack, and a small dinner) can ease your digestive processes, keep you feeling full for hours and give you a chance to try out various, new food options. Be sure to choose high-quality snacks like raw vegetables with hummus, low-sugar and gluten-free snack bars, low-sugar fruits, grass-fed meat snacks and even guacamole with low-sodium chips or crackers. Avoid foods that have preservatives or any that may cause food sensitivities. By making better food choices, cortisol levels will stay in balance, keeping stress at a much lower level (1).
America seems to be fueled by coffee along with the occasional tea and most definitely soda. Because these drinks contain caffeine and are often paired with loads of sugar, they can be quite problematic for the body. When paired with stress they wreak havoc on the body’s ability to function. Just 200 mg of caffeine (about 1.5 cups of coffee) is enough to raise cortisol in the blood by 30% within one hour (1).
manage your exercise
Forming a habit of regular exercise is crucial to managing stress and maintaining healthy digestive processes. Before the demands of the day pile up, get your body moving! Although it might be difficult to pull yourself out from under the warm covers, once the day begins it’s even more of a task to fit in exercise. One study found that women who worked out in the morning moved more throughout the rest of the day. Additionally, their brains responded less to images of tempting foods (2). Bundling up during cold weather for an outdoor walk can also prove to be a stress reliever as it increases serotonin; even as little as “light-intensity” activity is enough to lower feelings of depression while boosting overall well-being (2). If you’re strapped for time - make it a point to take the stairs, park further out in the parking lot or try for a lunch hour walking session. And if the day permits, try to squeeze in 15 minute cardio sessions spread throughout the day. For a few recommendations on Fitness Apps to aid in getting your exercise, head to the Aspen Wellness recommendations.
manage your stress
Changing your ability to cope with stressors, whether mental, emotional or physical, doesn’t happen with the snap of a finger. Making dietary changes and keeping a regular exercise routine are often the best places to start when it comes to managing stress. But when you’ve made changes to your diet and try to maintain regular fitness habits while still feeling the effects of stress, what’s next?
Don’t be too rigid. Setting health and wellness rules for yourself is a great start to building healthy habits, however, if they are so strict that you are becoming stressed over them, lighten up a bit. When it comes to eating well, moving well and being well - it’s all about finding a balance that works for you. Some days it might be easy to follow the intentions you’ve set for food and fitness. And on other days, a family celebration may be priority causing you to relax a little in your food choices or workout regimen. And, on occasion, that’s okay!
Get your rest. Life is filled with social engagements, church events, extracurricular activities for kids and work. But in spite of it all, be sure to get enough sleep. It’s tempting to want to attend every function, but getting enough rest allows your body to repair, maintain its defenses and gives you a little downtime to process the events of the week.
Listen to music or a podcast. Often times, taking our minds off stressful environments and situations can help us decompress while gaining the right perspective. Audio can override the thoughts in our heads; sometimes filling our hearts with joy and our mouths with laughter.
Buy yourself flowers. One study at the University of North Florida found that women living with flowers in their homes for one week felt less stressed.
Self-care. One new activity a week is all that it will take for you to unload the stress and add a little zest back into your life.
What’s next?
For simple, nutritious meal recipes that are quick to prep throughout the busyness of everyday life, head to our Aspen Wellness Pinterest boards.
And for a few more self-care ideas, especially if you’re not the “spa day” kind of girl visit this link.
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References
Colbert, D. (2008). Stress less. Lake Mary, Fl.: Siloam.
Rockwood, K., Shaffer, A., Saltz, G., MD, & Dworkin-McDaniel, N. (2018, December). Live Healthy: Stress Less This Season. Health, 63-66.