Losing weight is a challenge for anyone – let alone those of us struggling with emotional stress or those of us who would call ourselves ‘emotional eaters’.

Whether it’s financial stress, relationship strain, work challenges, or just the usual ups and downs of life, we all have to deal with emotional stress at some point. However, many people have found their emotional stress levels to be through the roof due to the current coronavirus pandemic. Maybe you are feeling stressed at having to juggle work with homeschooling… perhaps you have lost your job and have no idea how you’ll make ends meet… maybe having your partner working from home is straining your relationship… or perhaps your anxiety levels are simply heightened because you’re worried about catching the virus…

This article aims to provide you with some tips and strategies to get you through those emotional days when you feel drawn to those unhealthy foods you’ve been trying to avoid.

Distraction not reaction

If you’ve ever used distraction techniques to help avoid a kid’s tantrum, you probably know that this can really work… But did you know that this can work for us adults too?! Trying to distract yourself in the moment may help. Some ideas you could try include:

• Move (physically) from your current spot – go for a walk around the house or garden; go and get a drink; have a bath or shower
• Put some music on – this could be relaxing music or something upbeat to suit your mood. Why not have a little dance too?
• Doodling or colouring – getting creative can help to take your mind off things and also can give you a sense of achievement when you’ve created something beautiful
• Meditating/focus on your breathing – there are a wealth of apps you could try to help you focus on your breathing and stay calm. This is also a great technique to help you get to sleep if you’re struggling with this. Even if you only have three minutes, you could still fit in a short meditation
• Get support – talk to your partner or kids about this and ask them to help distract you when you are having a moment. Perhaps you could go for a walk or play a game together.

Mindfulness

Mindfulness is all about encouraging yourself to live in the moment, become more aware of what you’re eating and take a pause between your triggers (or feelings) and actions. It can be really helpful for emotional eaters. It involves asking questions like “Am I really hungry?” “Am I feeling full?” and “What is making me feel like I want to eat right now?”. The following tips may help you:

• Pause before grabbing that unhealthy snack – start by pausing just one minute, and ask yourself how you’re feeling. Initially, you may give in, but over time, being in touch with your feelings may help you do it differently next time
• Accept your feelings – rather than beating yourself up about why you’re feeling what you are feeling, learning to accept your feelings is helpful. Even negative feelings, such as feeling powerless in the situation, are helpful to acknowledge. Write them down and see if you notice any particular recurring themes. Writing down the thoughts that lead to certain food behaviours can also be helpful

Knowing your ‘triggers’

Identifying your triggers can be an important first step. Often, it’s things like stress, certain emotions (e.g. loneliness, resentment, anxiety), boredom or childhood habits (or a combination). If you have major issues in this area, seeking counselling would be a logical step forward. You could also try the following ideas:

Boost your mood

There are a variety of things that can help boost your mood in the general sense. If you are feeling calmer, more in control and more balanced, you will probably be less likely to feel the stress and give in to unhealthy cravings later in the day. Consider the following things:

• Don’t skip meals – missing meals, especially breakfast can leave you feeling weak, tired and irritable. In the same way, don’t skip packs thinking it will quicken your weight loss – it won’t!
• Include a range of different vegetables – vegetables are a great source of vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals. Try to ‘eat a rainbow’ to get a good variety
• Learn something new – this can help improve your mental wellbeing, as well as keep you occupied during times when you may be tempted to go off-plan. There are lots of things you could do during lockdown, with a wealth of free online tutorials to help you – how about learning a new language, a new craft or dusting off that old violin that’s in the loft? Learning something new gives you a sense of achievement that can really boost your mood.

Exercise not extra fries

Exercise is great for busting stress and anxiety and lifting the mood. It releases natural chemicals called endorphins into your body – these are often referred to at the ‘happy hormone’ because they can give you a natural ‘high’! If you don’t already do some regular exercise, start small and build it up, aiming for 30 minutes of ‘huff and puff’ exercise at least five times a week. This includes brisk walking, running (build up with something like couch to 5k), cycling, or a HIIT or aerobic workout (DVD or online video).

Jazz up your products

If you’re already following a Slim & Save plan, don’t let yourself get product fatigue. Why not try some of the new recipes available on the website? There are lots of amazing recipes that our members have created and posted that will help give you some inspiration and extra variety. If you’re struggling to keep motivated, have you considered switching plans or trying new products to keep things interesting? You could also try experimenting with trying new products – we often hear about people who don’t think they’d enjoy a particular pack but try it and actually realise they really like it.

Written by Annemarie Aburrow RD BSc (Hons) PGDip, Slim & Save Dietitian.

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