Are you in constant stress? Perhaps helping your mother make that daily trip to the clinic for therapy is already busting your energy or balancing your obligation to your family, parents and your partner is already too much for an aging body like yours? If these things send you running for your favorite comfort food and you are having no problem finishing an ice cream tub meant for 4 people, then you are not alone!

Scientifically, it is your body’s response to combat the bad feeling you are having or you are about to have right now. It’s like a love affair, your brain tries to comfort your body by making it do whatever it is that makes it feel good, whether it is actually good for your well-being or not in order to keep sanity intact. That means, the “healthy you” is pretty much, helpless, under these conditions.

Of course, the best way to stop stress eating is to avoid stress at all cost. However, we all know that in an adult life, that is quite impossible right? So here are some tips to help you overcome stress eating when the urge strikes:

•    Ask yourself—everytime. It’s that simple. By asking yourself, you bring awareness to your eating, thus your conscious self waking up and taking charge. Remember that stress eating is usually done mindlessly and by bringing your conscious mind onboard, you are sure to stay on track.
•    Look for a more physical way to release stress. Like walking or running or swimming—anything just as long as it’s not eating. These things won’t need you to be always conscious. In fact, these things can be done in auto-mode which means your body takes over and do what it is trained to do while your brain takes its well-deserved rest.
•    Or perhaps something productive? Read a book, sign up for a volunteer job or maybe a good dose of knitting will keep your hands off those unhealthy things. This should be something that won’t put any more pressure on you.
•    Get someone to hug you. Any breathing person will do, so grab your hug-partner now to alleviate stress!
•    Sleep it off. Catch a few winks and it will definitely refresh you. Aside from that, it will help you let the eating urge pass.
•    Relax, the sun will still shine tomorrow no matter what. It’s all in your mind and it’s how you handle challenges in your life. Just consider the consequences of entertaining stress in your life as opposed to outshining it at every opportunity. If there’s something you can do, then do it and if there’s none then you just have to step back and let it pass.