Stress eating

If you’ve ever hoovered down a mountain of crisps or a block of chocolate,

only to realise when you’re finished that you didn’t even taste it, then chances are you’ve been self-medicating with food. Try these mindful tips

from nutritionists and food psychologists to help stop the urge.

Does this sound familiar? Your arm reaches into a desk drawer, seemingly on its own, to retrieve a bag of chips or leftover chocolate you had stashed for later. Before you know it, the treat is in your mouth and you feel a rush of euphoria and calm, then guilt – then eventually, you’re back to feeling stressed, which triggers the cycle all over again.

And stopping the constant replay of this scenario is really tough. Especially since much of the sugary, junk food we gulp down during times of high pressure actually reduces levels of the stress hormone cortisol in our bloodstream, thus reducing stress (at least temporarily) and hardwiring us to seek out those less-than-stellar foods time and again when we’re under pressure.

The solution? Reminding yourself that you’re in the throes of a craving – and aren’t actually hungry – can sometimes be enough to snap you back to reality. But when it’s not, don’t worry. There are still plenty of tools to curb that stress-induced urge to eat, like these strategies and snack ideas from some of our favourite dietitians and food psychologists.