Stop Stress Eating For Good!!!

Stress increases the brain's need for serotonin - a neurotransmitter that induces a feeling of calm. To step up serotonin, your body requires carbohydrates - you eat carbs - e.g. pasta, potatoes, cookies, cakes etc. Why not steer your body towards healthier choices to satisfy cravings and not expand your waistline.

Stress can also lead to erratic eating habits - this sets the stage for a feeding frenzy. We don't take the time to sit down and eat real meals or eat more than a handful of this or that throughout the day. Blood sugars plummet, we become so ravenous that we eat everything and anything in sight.

We may also be conditioned from childhood when food was a reward for something well done or a remedy when you felt bad or hurt yourself.

Changing the way you deal with food in relation to stress:

1. Redefined comfort food - relax with herbal tea or a bowl of low fat, high fiber cereal with nonfat milk instead of Ben and Jerry's.
2. Put yourself on a meal plan with regular mealtime slots and planned snacks at the same time every day. This will keep your blood sugar up and give you a sense of control. Even better, the night before a frantic day, write down what you plan to eat and when.
3. Rid your home and office of finger foods or freeze them.
4. No eating when standing up.
5. Do a U-turn when you find yourself heading for the kitchen or a vending machine - Do something else for 10 minutes - phone a friend or take a walk up and down stairs, etc.
6. Turn to non-food soothers - exercise, bubble bath, calming music, read a novel or a magazine.

A Good Meal Plan for a Bad Day

Breakfast (don't skip it!) should be high protein, low and complex carbohydrates. Protein boosts the level of brain chemicals (neurotransmitters) that stimulate mental alertness and clarity.

Smart choices:

• Melted reduced fat cheese on an
  whole wheat English muffin
• A smoothie made with low-fat yogurt, fruit and skim milk.
• An egg, low-fat turkey sausage and a
  whole grain bagel
• A whole grain pita melt with lean ham and reduced fat cheese

Lunch combine low fat protein for mental energy and high fiber carbs to satisfy hunger and keep blood sugar and energy levels constant.

Smart choices:

• Lean turkey or grilled chicken on a whole-wheat bun with lettuce, tomato and lettuce.
• A medium sized chicken or vegetable-bean burrito
• A nicoise or chef's salad with fat free dressing
• A bowl of chicken, beef or bean soup with some whole what crackers

Afternoon Snack- stress can peak mid afternoon so stop for serotonin boosting, high carbohydrate snack. About 40 grams of carbs will renew your eating control for at least 3 hours.

Anxiety-proof picks:

• A small bagel whole wheat with jelly
• 15 animal crackers
• 2 ounces of fat-free tortillas with salsa
• 2 ounces of fat free fig bars
• 2 ounces of fat-free pretzels
• A small box of unsweetened fat free cereal

Dinner should be a soothing, high carbohydrate meal that will calm you down and get you ready for sleep.

• Pasta with marinara sauce and a salad
• A large baked potato topped with veggies or vegetable chili and parmesan cheese
• Whole wheat pancakes or French toast with light syrup

The goal is to calm down and get a good night's sleep.

Donna Tinnerello, MS, RD, CD/N is a registered dietitian, living in Manhattan, with more than 10 years experience in HIV and nutrition. Her subspecialties are cardiovascular, renal, gastrointestinal disease, diabetes and weight management.
Donna is available for private consultation by referral only. Ms.Tinnerello has donated time and articles to our web site at always your choice and we sincerely appreciate her contributions.