A salad for lunch. Whoopdeedoo. I like salads, but having it in the middle of a stressful workday just doesn’t cut it for me. I know I have to enjoy this healthy meal, but it’s so difficult sometimes!
Stress eating comes so easily, especially during the past couple of weeks. While manageable, my work load has been multiplying like gremlins wet by the rain. I cope by trying to maintain a healthy perspective on things and sadly, stress eating.
There’s nothing like biting into a juicy burger after a full day, dipping fries into catsup and slurping that soda. Why does greasy food have to be so comforting? After the whole meal is wiped out, regret starts pouring in and one goes, “Why? Why? Why????”
I try to eat salads during lunch, and yeah, they help. I’ve been keeping multi-grain crackers in my bag too. Still, the call of a huge pepperoni pizza is so hard to resist especially after a whole day of brainstorming, or sometimes during brainstorming.
Are you familiar with stress eating? How do you avoid it?
Hi! I'm Toni Tiu,
and I've been blogging at
at Wifely Steps since 2003. This started as a blog to help newly weds adjust to married life. It has evolved into a home and parenting blog. I write about things close to my heart -- good eats, good reads, family, marriage, and the little things that make everyday happy.
gene
November 5, 2008 at 4:03 pm (16 years ago)i got into stress eating while i was still working on a call center. i just can’t help but eat rice and/or pasta on lunch and even 15 minute breaks (one serving of rice/pasta) and did gain a few pounds because of that. i still missing the eating part for the food that was catered in our office was really good then, but gaining weight it’s just an added unhealthy factor to ones health and added expenses for I can’t fit in my clothes anymore so I had to buy new ones.
genes last blog post..Baby Ichi is a she!
Rico
November 5, 2008 at 4:29 pm (16 years ago)I am very familiar.
I play hard, really hard! I try to give a few punches here and there, and maybe a sly jab there, but at the end of our boxing match, I get tired. So what the heck?! Right? hehe I totally give in.
I am in shape. Round is a shape! 😉
maver
November 5, 2008 at 7:02 pm (16 years ago)two words: I DON’T.
hahaha! kaya mo yan! (look at me, no credibility at all! :D)
happy hump day, toni!
mavers last blog post..NOW SHOWING
rolly
November 5, 2008 at 7:04 pm (16 years ago)Am I familiar with stress eating? Hah! I do that with every meal and I am not even stressed! hahaha
jeanny
November 5, 2008 at 7:55 pm (16 years ago)Yup….I can so relate with this sis!
Hay. I just remember those days that I like eating pizzas, burgers, fries, ice creams, sodas, and all the junk foods after a tiring day. Hirap mag resist di ba?!…masarap kumain eh!
Kaso, while I was enjoying everything I could eat, my body was complaining that time. I gain too much. Because of my heaviness my feet hurts and I became super tamad. Old friends keep on asking what happen to me!!!!…It’s like I committed a sin noh..lolz!
But I am so glad na, I overcome all those unhealthy eating.
SO if I can do it…so can you Toni. Believe me!
Have a great day and stay healthy!!!!
jeannys last blog post..Husband’s 1001 ways of being smart.
Via
November 5, 2008 at 8:16 pm (16 years ago)I give in!
Then try my best not to feel guilty about it and schedule extra time to work it off. There’s no worse thing than a food binge because of deprivation.
Vias last blog post..Stamping Action
Sinta
November 5, 2008 at 11:20 pm (16 years ago)I love salads, but salads here in the UK aren’t as good as in Switzerland
Sometimes I could just have salad for lunch, with lovely sauce. Here it’s almost like an afterthought.
Sintas last blog post..Building a Friend
ela
November 6, 2008 at 4:00 am (16 years ago)ay ako di ko kaya umiwas sa stress eating
madalas pang may nagdadala ng food sa opis kaya sorry na ang diet diet na yan, hahaha
elas last blog post..3 taon!
ibyang
November 6, 2008 at 6:21 am (16 years ago)hi toni,
when stressed and want to eat after i got out of work, i usually crave for cheesecake and coffee so what i do is go to a cafe and tell husband to pick me up there. while waiting, i eat only half the cheesecake and drink only half of the coffee, but the time i’m half-way thru, husband arrives so he eats the other half. they say, if you want to each something sinful, share it with someone, so that’s what we do. just order one, and we just share it. shared food, shared calories.
ibyangs last blog post..Litratong Pinoy: Maalaala Mo Kaya?
Marie
November 6, 2008 at 8:23 am (16 years ago)Stress eating was really my problem these past few weeks. Really, I binged just because of stressy. My officemates and i would always buy burgers and pizza’s. And i always have my “comfort foods” with me. what’s included in my big bag, aside from my personal stuffs are chocolates, cookies, garlic sticks, and chips (especially like chippy or nova, lol). My work stressed me out big time, and i would always turn my attention to eating. I have gained weight rapidly.. and just recently i have gained 5 pounds. hehehe. and so i went back to my 20 minute walking exercise for 3 days now, with my iPod on. That way, I could clear up my mind and to fight stress. But hey, that salad looks really good. Hmm..maybe later before going to work, I’d buy Caesar’s salad. I hope that could carry throughout the night. (i work night shift though).
Maries last blog post..US President Barack Obama’s Victory Speech
J.
November 6, 2008 at 2:09 pm (16 years ago)Uhm, how do I avoid stress-eating? I don’t. Which is bad. Sometimes, when I need drastic measures, I get out a bottle of Listerine and gargle with it (straight up, no dilutions with water ha) until my mouth burns. Somehow the jarring menthol-ness of it shocks me enough to veer away from the chips. (Oooh, chiiiipsss….ok nowIhavetostop.)
J.s last blog post..What Hope Can Do
sheilamarie
November 7, 2008 at 7:41 am (16 years ago)I actually can’t eat when I’m stressed, Toni. I lose weight and look haggard instead. Kaya I like to be stressed once in a while, so I can maintain my figure, Lol! But kidding aside, I can never get enough to eat. I eat rice meal even for merienda, and it doesn’t affect my plump figure at all 😉
sheilamaries last blog post..Our adventure in Manila Ocean Park
notsquare
November 7, 2008 at 11:27 am (16 years ago)my philosophy / mentality here is eat healthy ALL THE TIME. but when your emotions get the best or better of you, then by all means, eat your comfort or stress food. thats what they are there for!
Leica
November 10, 2008 at 5:04 pm (16 years ago)I do a lot of stress eating specially when things go wrong at the office. To prevent myself from pulling my hair out, I take my lunch break alone in a quiet cafe, read magazines and just have a cup of tea to calm me down. By the time I get back, I feel renewed and refreshed.
If my stress happens in the afternoon, I take a 15-minute break and head to a beauty parlor located right in front of our office and have a quickie massage
Stress eating is incurable but manageable 😉
Leicas last blog post..Halloween Extravaganza!
Sheena
November 12, 2008 at 5:05 pm (16 years ago)Try to find other ways to relieve your stress other than eating. Take a break, relax, socialize, read a book, there’s a bunch of stuff really. Look for what will be best for you and stick with it.
Sheenas last blog post..Stay Slim and Healthy on a Frugal Budget
beana
December 7, 2008 at 11:57 pm (15 years ago)Hi!
Its so great your trying to eat healthy:) Im in the same boat right now. I just thought id bring up the fact that salads aren’t the only healthy option by any means! There are so many choices… you can experiment with different combos, and healthy eating can actually be fun!
Some of my favorite healthy lunches include:
1) turkey and tomato sandwich on fiber bread, FAGE 0% greek yogurt with some splenda and fruit
2) healthy choice chicken and rice soup, a banana
3) whole gran crackers with a laughing cow light cheese wedge, 1/2 a cantaloupe melon bowl, maybe some yogurt
4) english muffin with a little peanut butter, an apple, string cheese
I also love 100 calorie bags of popcorn, sugar free hot chocolate, oatmeal with fun spices, nuts and fruits, and cheerios!!
I try to keep in mind that everything is ok in moderation. Try to eat well balanced meals, and every once in a while indulge a little bit. Whether it be a a skinny cow ice cream cone(the caramel delight ones rock!!) or a few squares of chocolate…
Try the website http://www.calorie-count.com The forums have really great snacking ideas and tips. its a great website!
Amy
November 8, 2010 at 9:17 am (14 years ago)Great post! I’m looking to make some changes in my own eating habits, so I appreciate your insight a lot! Thank you. I recently stumbled upon this blog like I did yours and I thought your readers may appreciate the advice of this couple: http://burisonthecouch.wordpress.com/2010/11/04/food-for-thought/
I’ve started to look for their stuff more regularly and I think I’m going to add your blog to my list as well. Thanks for the post!