Stress-Eating And Weight Gain

[Emojis4Life]

I've found, over the past few years, that stress-eating has become a pretty big coping mechanism for me. When I'm worried about something (which is a lot of the time -_____-) I tend to crave fatty or sugary foods. First, it seemed super normal (I mean, everyone eats crap during midterm/exam season, right?) But I've pinpointed it as a growing problem for me. I've started to rely on it more, I've put on 25 pounds since the start of my undergrad and though I'm not overweight, I'm on the verge of it and definitely have a tummy. Most importantly, it's really affected my self-esteem and I've become a little more socially awkward in person. I just feel like people are judging me more, whether that's true or not.  

 

I was just wondering if anyone else is majorly guilty of stress-eating? And if you are, how did you cut down/stop?

 

I'd appreciate any tips.

[amichel]

I definitely do this. Although I really hate having to do it, I've found a calorie logging app to be helpful because when I'm considering eating junk I know I'll have to enter it into my phone and see just how many calories I'm eating. It's hardly ever worth it.

 

Finding another stress coping technique is obviously a biggy too. People will list off the common ones like exercise, tea, but you have to find what works for you.

[snacks]

Apps like MyFitnessPal are really useful for keeping track of your diet and your weight (you need a scale though). As a premed/med student, you'll love the graphs and numbers (data, data, data!!!) And it reminds you of how harmful some foods really are (I think we have a tendency to take the "ignorance is bliss" approach around junk food and just hope it's not actually that bad). Even the thought of the hassle of having to add in another item can be enough to turn you off eating something unnecessary. That said, it has a barcode scanner so it's very easy to add things.

 

I subscribe to the view that eating habits are the most effective control point for body weight. Exercise is great too, but the amount of calories you can burn in a day could be easily eclipsed by one fast-food combo. On the other hand, from what I've learned, consistent exercise can help keep your basal metabolism high.

MyFitnessPal is free! Give it a try!

[amichel]

Apps like MyFitnessPal are really useful for keeping track of your diet and your weight (you need a scale though). As a premed/med student, you'll love the graphs and numbers (data, data, data!!!) And it reminds you of how harmful some foods really are (I think we have a tendency to take the "ignorance is bliss" approach around junk food and just hope it's not actually that bad). Even the thought of the hassle of having to add in another item can be enough to turn you off eating something unnecessary. That said, it has a barcode scanner so it's very easy to add things.

 

I subscribe to the view that eating habits are the most effective control point for body weight. Exercise is great too, but the amount of calories you can burn in a day could be easily eclipsed by one fast-food combo. On the other hand, from what I've learned, consistent exercise can help keep your basal metabolism high.

 

MyFitnessPal is free! Give it a try!

If you're just trying to stop the extra eating and aren't worried about losing weight, I feel like you don't really need a scale and guessing is good enough.

 

That said they are like 21 bucks on Amazon. Mine arrived today! Time to take this healthy eating thing somewhat seriously (and by that, I mean portions not quality - I only have so much willpower haha)

[Renin]

I swapped to running as a coping strategy, and sometimes I'll still chew on things - but low calorie things, like individual green peas.

[amichel]

I swapped to running as a coping strategy, and sometimes I'll still chew on things - but low calorie things, like individual green peas.

 

 

Ah, if only I didn't despise running with a passion. I only do it to get some quick cardio. 

[Emojis4Life]

Thanks for the replies! I've tried the tea thing and that has helped but I always grab a cookie or snack pack with the drink. Should cut back on that. Really love the idea of munching on peas. I feel like part of the release comes from having something to pick at. Not sure if peas are my thing. Need to think of something else.

 

Ya I've tried the running thing but I'm... not a runner :$ I really need to fix my diet and lifestyle. Been feeling so sluggish.

[Clever]

Put on some muscle! I put on 15lbs of it in the past couple years and I'm having a difficult time gaining weight no matter how much or what I eat.

[Goop]

Here are a few things that have worked for me;

 

1. Lifting and HIIT:

 

I do Tabata training and weight lifting every morning. This is not the same as exercise because of EPOC (excess post-workout oxygen consumption). Here's the general idea;

 

- Weight lifting damages muscles and Tabata (or HIIT) training does a great job at depleting muscle glycogen.

- To repair the damaged muscle tissue and restore muscle glycogen, energy is required. This leads to an increase in post-workout energy expenditure.

- Research shows that the EPOC period may last up to 48 hours. This means that you can be burning extra calories for 2 days after your work out. 

 

The more intense the workout is and the shorter the rest periods are, the greater the effects of EPOC are.

 

2. Eat Smart

 

1. Fat. Fat is the best at making you feel full. Think avocados, meat, nuts. If you've ever been to an all-you-can-eat sushi restaurant, you may have noticed that a large chunk of the menu contains dishes that have either avocado, salmon, high-fat meat, or is deep fried. What is the common denominator here? High fat content. Avocados are native to Central America while Sushi is a Japanese food. They put it in almost every roll because of the fullness factor. 

 

2. Protein. The benefit of protein is that out of all the macronutrients, it takes a long time and a lot of energy to digest protein. You have to break it down into amino acids and small peptides, take the nitrogen off, excrete that nitrogen in the urea cycle, transport the remaining carbon skeleton, do a few conversions, etc. Additionally, not all the protein you eat will go towards energy, your body may use it to repair muscle or for protein synthesis to make things like enzymes. Finally, for the remaining amino acids that don't get used for anything, it's a huge process to convert them to fat or glycogen for storage. 

 

So the take home point here is that you can over-eat protein without it contributing much to gaining fat. 

 

3. Carbs. Avoid simple sugars at all costs. Avoid refined carbs at all costs. This is really important. This comment from the Gnoll Credo summarizes how I feel about these foods:

 

"Flour is ground-up seeds. What eats seeds? Birds and rodents. If it’s poisonous to humans until we grind it into powder and cook it, and it causes mineral deficiencies and birth defects unless we add vitamins, it’s not food"

 

If you're going to eat carbs, take into account 2 things; 1) Aim for a carb:fibre ratio of 10:1 or lower 2) Never eat a meal consisting of only carbs. When you eat carbs with fat and protein, it decreases the GI and your insulin won't spike as fast. 

 

3. Water and Micronutrients

 

Sometimes we may get more hungry because we aren't getting enough of a vitamin or mineral. In this case, eating more calories won't help. You need to make sure you're getting an adequate intake of micronutrients by eating a balanced diet. 

 

For water, I drink about 4 L of water per day. It helps a lot with controlling how much I eat.

 

4. Productivity

 

I eat when I'm bored. I think we all do tbh. If your mind is occupied with something important and you minimize sitting around doing nothing, it is likely you will eat less.

 

5. We are Human

 

Stress-eating is fine every once in a while. I ate a box of 12 donuts from Tim Horton's on a very stressful day last semester and it felt great (not so great a few hours afterwards). But my point is, it might be more helpful than harmful to stress-eat once every few weeks (as long as you aren't doing it every day) rather than be depressed. 

 

Hope this helps. I had a huge problem with stress-eating in first year (talk about a freshman 15) that put me at 35% body fat. Now I'm 10% body fat, 215 lbs, 6'2. 

[amichel]

Here are a few things that have worked for me;

 

1. Lifting and HIIT:

 

I do Tabata training and weight lifting every morning. This is not the same as exercise because of EPOC (excess post-workout oxygen consumption). Here's the general idea;

 

- Weight lifting damages muscles and Tabata (or HIIT) training does a great job at depleting muscle glycogen.

- To repair the damaged muscle tissue and restore muscle glycogen, energy is required. This leads to an increase in post-workout energy expenditure.

- Research shows that the EPOC period may last up to 48 hours. This means that you can be burning extra calories for 2 days after your work out.

 

The more intense the workout is and the shorter the rest periods are, the greater the effects of EPOC are.

 

2. Eat Smart

 

1. Fat. Fat is the best at making you feel full. Think avocados, meat, nuts. If you've ever been to an all-you-can-eat sushi restaurant, you may have noticed that a large chunk of the menu contains dishes that have either avocado, salmon, high-fat meat, or is deep fried. What is the common denominator here? High fat content. Avocados are native to Central America while Sushi is a Japanese food. They put it in almost every roll because of the fullness factor.

 

2. Protein. The benefit of protein is that out of all the macronutrients, it takes a long time and a lot of energy to digest protein. You have to break it down into amino acids and small peptides, take the nitrogen off, excrete that nitrogen in the urea cycle, transport the remaining carbon skeleton, do a few conversions, etc. Additionally, not all the protein you eat will go towards energy, your body may use it to repair muscle or for protein synthesis to make things like enzymes. Finally, for the remaining amino acids that don't get used for anything, it's a huge process to convert them to fat or glycogen for storage.

 

So the take home point here is that you can over-eat protein without it contributing much to gaining fat.

 

3. Carbs. Avoid simple sugars at all costs. Avoid refined carbs at all costs. This is really important. This comment from the Gnoll Credo summarizes how I feel about these foods:

 

"Flour is ground-up seeds. What eats seeds? Birds and rodents. If it’s poisonous to humans until we grind it into powder and cook it, and it causes mineral deficiencies and birth defects unless we add vitamins, it’s not food"

 

If you're going to eat carbs, take into account 2 things; 1) Aim for a carb:fibre ratio of 10:1 or lower 2) Never eat a meal consisting of only carbs. When you eat carbs with fat and protein, it decreases the GI and your insulin won't spike as fast.

 

3. Water and Micronutrients

 

Sometimes we may get more hungry because we aren't getting enough of a vitamin or mineral. In this case, eating more calories won't help. You need to make sure you're getting an adequate intake of micronutrients by eating a balanced diet.

 

For water, I drink about 4 L of water per day. It helps a lot with controlling how much I eat.

 

4. Productivity

 

I eat when I'm bored. I think we all do tbh. If your mind is occupied with something important and you minimize sitting around doing nothing, it is likely you will eat less.

 

5. We are Human

 

Stress-eating is fine every once in a while. I ate a box of 12 donuts from Tim Horton's on a very stressful day last semester and it felt great (not so great a few hours afterwards). But my point is, it might be more helpful than harmful to stress-eat once every few weeks (as long as you aren't doing it every day) rather than be depressed.

 

Hope this helps. I had a huge problem with stress-eating in first year (talk about a freshman 15) that put me at 35% body fat. Now I'm 10% body fat, 215 lbs, 6'2.

Sorry, but that quote about carbs is downright dumb. Poison to humans? Causes birth defects? Lol no.

 

Sure, if you only ate carbs, you'd have some deficiencies. Good thing no one does this. Same goes for any other food group.

 

I appreciate some of your points but let's try to keep this scientific, considering that we're on a board for people who want to be doctors.

[Falling]

The whole "carbs are the devil" thing is a myth in the fitness community. It doesn't help that you have crazies telling people that gluten will kill you. Even refined carbs won't do any damage to your life, provided you hit the same macros and it isn't all that you eat. 

 

If anyone wants to look over some scientific nutrition advice go here: http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/

 

Lyle McDonald is a bit of an ass, but he's a big deal. 

[Goop]

Sorry, but that quote about carbs is downright dumb. Poison to humans? Causes birth defects? Lol no.

 

Sure, if you only ate carbs, you'd have some deficiencies. Good thing no one does this. Same goes for any other food group.

 

I appreciate some of your points but let's try to keep this scientific, considering that we're on a board for people who want to be doctors.

Really?

 

Raw flour caused an E. coli outbreak in the U.S. in 2009 that sickened 77 people in 30 states. http://www.cdc.gov/ecoli/2009/0630.html

 

In 2008, raw flour fed to poultry caused a Salmonella outbreak in New Zealand. http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/pdf/10.1089/fpd.2012.1282

 

The birth defects are no longer a problem since we now fortify most grain products. However, historically many pregnant women were deficient in folic acid which caused birth defects. Since 1998, when we began to fortify grain products, birth defects due to folic acid deficiency decreased by 35%. 

 

I agree with you that this is a bad quote to use in a scientific discussion, but it's not entirely false. The intended message is that pure untouched flour is not a very nutrient-dense food and that there are healthier choices of carbs out there. 

[Goop]

The whole "carbs are the devil" thing is a myth in the fitness community. It doesn't help that you have crazies telling people that gluten will kill you. Even refined carbs won't do any damage to your life, provided you hit the same macros and it isn't all that you eat. 

 

If anyone wants to look over some scientific nutrition advice go here: http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/

 

Lyle McDonald is a bit of an ass, but he's a big deal. 

Carbs are not the devil, but not all carbs are equal. A bottle of coke is not the same as a cup of oatmeal, even though they have an equal amount of carbs. In this case, the oatmeal is the better choice because you will feel full, as opposed to drinking a bottle of coke which is considered by most people to be "empty calories". 

 

Refined carbs are similar to the bottle of coke. For example, white flour bread even has a higher GI index than coke, as well as a lower glycemic load. 

[amichel]

Really?

 

Raw flour caused an E. coli outbreak in the U.S. in 2009 that sickened 77 people in 30 states. http://www.cdc.gov/ecoli/2009/0630.html

 

In 2008, raw flour fed to poultry caused a Salmonella outbreak in New Zealand. http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/pdf/10.1089/fpd.2012.1282

 

The birth defects are no longer a problem since we now fortify most grain products. However, historically many pregnant women were deficient in folic acid which caused birth defects. Since 1998, when we began to fortify grain products, birth defects due to folic acid deficiency decreased by 35%.

 

I agree with you that this is a bad quote to use in a scientific discussion, but it's not entirely false. The intended message is that pure untouched flour is not a very nutrient-dense food and that there are healthier choices of carbs out there.

What?!? There are also E. coli outbreaks in meat and vegetables, so that makes zero sense.

 

Also, yes, lack of folic acid causes birth defects, and now that we supplement the rates have gone down. Grains are an efficient way of delivering folic acid because they are cheap and most people eat them. Not to mention the fact that almost all pregnant women now take folic acid supplements.

 

None of that has anything (at all!) to do with carbs, or suggests in any way that they are bad. You're conflating two completely separate issues.

[wutdo]

Broooo just work out, google Zyzz for motivation

 

 

feelsgoodman

[RichardHammond]

So much broscience going on here. This is like bodybuilding.com meets premed101.

 

Also, citing two articles about products containing raw flour CONTAMINATED with E. coli and salmonella to support the idea that carbohydrates are bad is silly. That's like citing a recall on a batch of Toyotas with sticky gas pedals and saying that automobiles are satan spawn so driving is bad.

 

I agree that a diet with high amounts of simple carbs is unhealthy but citing those articles was just silly

 

Edit: but other than that, thanks Goop for your extensive and informative post. I particularly agree with your point on productivity.

[RichardHammond]

But back to OP's post

 

I found that pre-packing meals and snacks helps. If you plan and pack your lunch and snacks in the morning before starting your day, you'll be limiting and controlling what you eat at school/work/etc. If you snack too much at home, I think setting portions aside would help too. I believe some of those weight loss companies employ similar methods (weight watchers, Jenny Craig).

[Goop]

There seems to be some confusion here. 

 

Here is what I'm saying: Carbs are not bad. Some carbs are better than others. Eating the "better" carbs will help to reduce over-eating.

 

I guess the quote shouldn't have been included since it's a misrepresentation of my point. Thanks for calling it out.

[amichel]

There seems to be some confusion here.

 

Here is what I'm saying: Carbs are not bad. Some carbs are better than others. Eating the "better" carbs will help to reduce over-eating.

 

I guess the quote shouldn't have been included since it's a misrepresentation of my point. Thanks for calling it out.

Haha okay well now you're just backing up on your point. Whatever. If it works for you that's fine.

[Organomegaly]

Wait..does anyone even eat "untouched flour" ?

 

I wasn't aware that was a thing..

[Goop]

Haha okay well now you're just backing up on your point. Whatever. If it works for you that's fine.

No I'm not.

 

I'm acknowledging a lack of validity for the provided quote, however, when removed my initial point remains true. 

 

2. Eat Smart

 

Carbs. Avoid simple sugars at all costs. Avoid refined carbs at all costs. 

 

If you're going to eat carbs, take into account 2 things; 1) Aim for a carb:fibre ratio of 10:1 or lower 2) Never eat a meal consisting of only carbs. When you eat carbs with fat and protein, it decreases the GI and your insulin won't spike as fast.

 

There is no reason at all for this discussion to be moot. OP asked how to stop over-eating. Simple sugars and refined carbs (including flour) are much less filling and thus make it easier for individuals consuming them to over-eat. Period. How exactly am I backing up on my point? 

[Goop]

.

[amichel]

No I'm not.

 

I'm acknowledging a lack of validity for the provided quote, however, when removed my initial point remains true.

 

 

There is no reason at all for this discussion to be moot. OP asked how to stop over-eating. Simple sugars and refined carbs (including flour) are much less filling and thus make it easier for individuals consuming them to over-eat. Period. How exactly am I backing up on my point?

Because even after I pointed out the issues with the quote, you tried to say that non-fortified grains cause birth defects.

 

And E. coli outbreaks. (As if the number of outbreak from flour was somehow comparable to the number from meats and veggies)

[LeBronto2019]

Just workout heavy and then stress-eat! Two activities that tackle stress plus you'll be making all kinds of post workout gains...all kinds!

[medhope15]

Just maybe pack really healthy snacks? sometimes when studying i just liked something to snack on so around exam time would eat more. But I would pack sliced veggies/fruit, healthy trail mix stuff etc. No chips or chocolate covered stuff. But also give yourself a break. When I trained for sports and was really intense about workouts and food, I allowed myself one cheat day on the weekend to eat some junk I liked (chips or pizza or something). Sugar is like a drug. When you first cut it out it is so difficult, you crave junk food. Survive the first couple weeks and honestly you will not even crave it anymore.