A few weeks ago, the reader sent me this question:

I exercise regularly, but I still fight stress. Where and how to start doing it?

There are chances that you can refer. How do I know? 1) You are human. (Unless you are a robot ... In this case: Hi and please, do not turn us into batteries as in Matrix 👋)

2) When we work with clients, they fill in the intake questionnaire so that we can learn more about them, their goals, what are their biggest challenges.

Emotional and stressful food is . The most common challenge that our clients report - more than time, motivation, and not even knowing what to do.

If anything, food, when we feel stressed, is a thing that most of us have in common!

Emotional food and stress are complex behaviors and appear for many people in different ways. Although I am not a therapist or a registered dietitian, I Power Share some patterns and strategies that we saw, helping others as part of our coaching work in Nerd Fitness.

This, if these behaviors seem particularly intense or overwhelming, I want to admit that working with a licensed mental health specialist (especially a person trained in disordered food) can be really valuable. Therapy can be changing here, and our trainers often work in a tandem with therapists to make sure that our work supports what they do. ❤️

Taking all this into account, let's investigate some practices in our coaching, which we have seen help. 🙌

One of the most powerful things you can do is just stop and announcement What happens when you eat reflexively.

Is it stress? Exhaustion? Boredom? Frustration? Hunger? Just because there is this time of day?

It's not about stopping behavior immediately - just becoming more aware.

Literally people said it aloud how they feel at the moment: "I just had stressful interaction with my friend, and my instinct is to reach for something crunchy."

When we are able to better understand our behavior, we can use some other strategies that we will discuss to help.

Although sometimes this step is enough! I remember that my client Liz told me that this single practice was so powerful that she helped her transform her behavior in a way that was good for her (although it was not an intention!)

2. Proactive self -poring (i.e. your nutrition menu)

A lot of emotional eating results from unsatisfied needs - fatigue, loneliness, stress, excessive stimulation.

That is why we recommend building a "food menu": a list of small, intentional actions that help you charge. Reading, stretching, journalism, going outside. Whatever really helps You.

Choose one thing from this list each day to practice a proactive self -career.

My client Mark often reached for snacks at the end of the day when he watched TV, even though he did not feel hungry technically.

We realized that part of the trigger was a feeling for him He didn't have time for himself throughout the full daySo this time of decompression at the end of the night was important to him.

Whenever he just tried to fight the "discipline", he would go back and could not keep it.

Only when we spent time for small pockets of other activities to charging earlier that day that the needs were met and stressing food at the end of the day was easier to change.

3. Use the "always" and "sometimes" language

Helpful replace, which we often use: instead of marking dishes as "good" or "bad", think about them as "always" or "time" of food.

"Always" food consistently support your goals and energy. These are the things you want to regularly contain for meals and snacks.

"Sometimes" dishes are still great options to enjoy, we just choose them at a lower frequency than our dishes "all the time".

The key here is: there is no food outside the table.

Many times I hear people say: "I intend to finish this mug of ice cream remained in the freezer, and then it is not ice cream for me!"

Although I know that this is good intentions, it ends in almost every case.

Although we want to be realistic in terms of types and amounts of food that support your goals, we also want to build healthy relationships with food that do not moralize it as "good" compared to "bad".

And this reframe can help.

4. Enter a step of interruption

Then experiment with the interruption stage.

If you notice a strong need to eat in response to stress, try to put in a small pause. We usually recommend finding something else to do for five minutes.

It can be a short walk, listening to music, cleaning the work space, anything.

Then you can ask yourself:

"Am I physically hungry or something else is happening?"

Sometimes this break is enough to redirect the need, or at least bring some awareness of what drives it.

Then you can make an informed choice instead of reacting to the autopilot.

Then we learn and build from there.

- -

If stressing is something you fought with, you are not alone (and we have data to prove it!)

And if you are not sure where to start, choose one step from the list above and see how it feels.

You have it.

-Matt

PS We hire! We are looking ​Marketing specialist to join our team​ And work closely with me!

If you have experience and pursuit of help in changing the fitness industry, check the link and consider submitting the application. ❤️