Stress Eating During Covid-19: Interrupt the Pattern

If you’re eating more, or more often, than usual you are not alone. Most of us have never experienced anything like what’s happening in our world today and if eating is your way of coping, well, there’s a lot to cope with. Interrupting the pattern can make the difference.

I’ve been hearing a lot of guilt about using food for comfort. These are extraordinary times and we’re looking for comfort where we can get it. But when the comfort ends up in guilt or shame it’s making things even harder because now you need more comfort to cope with the aftermath of eating.

To use an overused term, awareness of how you feel physically, and emotionally, after you eat may help you to find a way out of overdoing the comfort eating. Interrupt the pattern: if you notice you’re feeling bad physically or emotionally after you eat, that little bit of information can be enough to help you make a different choice the next time you realize you’re eating but you aren’t actually hungry.

Another thing I’m hearing is the desire to escape the feeling of uneasiness created by the pandemic, and it’s making some of us want to revert to dieting. It makes some sense in that dieting offers a sense of control when so much feels out of control.

Perspective is everything, you have control when you choose to keep working on your relationship with food. Because stress eating is so common this is a powerful time for you to flex those muscles you’ve been building.

Interrupt the pattern: Take some time for yourself and look back on what you’ve learned and practiced, remind yourself of the work you’ve put in and write it down.

You are not alone in this.

Don’t let the unhelpful thoughts win

There are thoughts and dialogue running in the back of your mind that you may not realize are making you want to eat. Thoughts like this is never going to end; it’s too much, I can’t handle it; I don’t see anyone so it doesn’t matter what I look like; I was already struggling financially, this is going to ruin me and my family; I’m isolated and alone.

Thoughts can mess you up, but they’re only thoughts. Interrupt the pattern by working on the thoughts: it feels like this will never end, but it will; This feels like too much but I can handle it, one day at a time; I don’t see anyone but if I take care of myself I’ll feel better; I was already struggling financially, but we will find our way through this, we are strong.

The better you take care of yourself the more likely you are to have the emotional strength to get through each day.

Spend time discovering what brings you real comfort.

If you need escape you might watch puppy or kitty videos, or my fave, baby goats!

If you need strength find a book that will help you whether it’s a book about Spirituality, how to cope with uncertainty, Intuitive Eating, or a story of perseverance. Some of my favorite self-help authors are Elizabeth Gilbert, Brene Brown, Cheryl Strayed, Anne Lamott, Geneen Roth, too many to list here!

Sometimes a walk around the block, or if you’re fortunate enough to have some nature near you, just getting outside can shift your perspective.

Doing something for yourself can be just what you need to interrupt the pattern you’re in!