6 Tips to Overcome Stress Eating

If you find yourself reaching for the chips or cookies when you're feeling stressed, you are what is known as a "stress eater". Somewhere along the way you have conditioned yourself to use food as a soothing agent. The good news is that this is learned behavior and you can change it by rewiring your brain. In order to do this you have to start mindfully practicing other ways to soothe yourself when you are feeling stressed. Below are 8 ideas to get you started:

Exercise. Exercise is a known stress reliever. It releases good endorphins into your body that helps to relieve stress. Try and pick an exercise that you enjoy and you will be more likely to stick with it.

Journaling. Keeping a journal of your thoughts is a great way to vent and release some of your pent up anxieties and stress. When you journal, you will be surprised to find that you will come to a better understanding of yourself, which will help you identify the reasons why certain things cause you more stress than others.

Learn some relaxation techniques. Take a few moments to just sit and do some deep breathing or meditate. Something I personally do is say a little mantra as I am taking deep breaths. I say "breathe out stress...breath in calm". Say this as you are breathing in and out deeply several times. It really does help.

Separate yourself from what is causing the stress. Sometimes this is easy, and sometimes it is a bit more difficult. If a work situation is causing you stress, sometimes it will help just to take a break for a few moments. If something in your life is causing you stress, see if there is a way you can change the situation or remove it completely.

Find a reason to laugh. Laughter is a natural stress reliever. Its very difficult to feel stressed while you are laughing. Spend time with people who make you laugh and smile. Think positive. Don't take life so seriously all the time. Watch a funny movie.

Help someone who is less fortunate than you. Sometimes the causes of your stress make it seem like you carry the weight of the world upon your shoulders. Spend some time helping out those who are less fortunate than you, and you main gain a new perspective on what is contributing to your stress.

Being a stress eater is common in today's fast-paced society. Make a mindful effort to follow the above tips and you can eliminate stress eating from your life.