HEALTHY WAYS TO CONTROL EMOTIONAL OR STRESS EATING

1. Maintain a positive attitude. Your internal dialogue, or what you say to yourself each day, can either make your stress eating worse, or it can minimize how it affects you. One of the best ways to stay mentally fit is to consider that every problem is a challenge or opportunity. Find something positive about every situation and focus on that.

2. Reorganize your thinking in terms of what you can impact. In some situations, action is required, and procrastinating or avoiding it only makes matters worse and increases your worry or concern. If you think that you can’t do anything about the situation, you won’t see a solution. You will find whatever you put your attention on. So consider that you CAN do something about the situation and perhaps you will see something you hadn’t seen before. Seeing what is possible is a muscle that needs exercising … the more you do it, the stronger you get.

3. Learn relaxation techniques and use them on a regular basis. Learn relaxation techniques such as deep breathing. Sit down in a quiet place and consciously focus on your breathing for 5-20 minutes each day. Allow your thoughts to come and go without getting attached to them. Just notice each thought as it arises and let it go.

4. Expel negative thoughts from your mind. As soon as you notice a negative thought, consciously let it go. Don’t entertain the thought for even one second or put words to it by sharing it with another person. If you do, the thought becomes real. Don’t let a negative thought get that far. As soon as you’re aware of it, immediately replace it with something positive, like saying an affirmation or picturing a beautiful landscape or repeating your favorite inspirational saying to yourself.

5. Exercise. Do something physical … anything is fine. Go for a walk around the block to clear your head, do some sit ups, learn Tai Chi, or put on some music that energizes you and dance with abandon.

6. Have healthy snacks on hand at all times. That way, you'll have something to grab if you really want to eat and also carry with you throughout the day. You can include:

a. a hard-boiled egg and four to six whole-grain crackers

b. a cup of skim milk or lite soy milk and an English muffin topped with a teaspoon of peanut butter or all-fruit spread

c. a banana or orange with three graham crackers

d. half a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on whole-wheat bread

e. apple slices and an ounce of string cheese

f. a fat-free yogurt

g. 10 almonds

h. 20 grapes

7. Find things to do instead of eating. Be creative and keep your hands occupied … with knitting, reading, sewing, making crafts, put photos in albums, do scrapbooking, making hand-made greeting cards, make jewelry, fix something, clean something, organize something, do crossword puzzles or Sudoku. Find something that interests you and have it handy. Be creative.