Hey, I’m Rick. Today we’re going to slow down and notice what happens when stress makes us want to eat.
Get comfortable. Keep your eyes open, or close them if it’s safe to do so.
Feel your feet on the floor or the chair beneath you. Take an easy breath in. Let it out at your own pace.
Think about what stress has felt like for you lately. Maybe it’s been one of those weeks where everything seems to pile up. Let one small moment come to mind.
As you think about it, check in with your belly. Let your attention move up to your chest and then your head. You might notice a flutter, a tight spot, or a feeling of heaviness. See if there’s an emotion that goes with it. Maybe you’re worried or frustrated. You might just feel worn out. It’s fine if you can’t name it.
Listen for what you tell yourself about eating when you’re stressed. You might hear “I’ve had a long day. I need something.” Or “Here I go again.” How do you feel when you hear that thought?
Plenty of people know that feeling. Imagine catching that thought before you reach for food.
Revisit one moment
If you felt like eating in the moment you just remembered, stay with it. Or picture a familiar scene. You’ve just got home, your keys are still in your hand, and you’re already opening the cupboard.
What happened just before you wanted to eat? Picture what you reached for. Notice what you were hoping to feel after eating it.
Stress can affect how you sleep or how patient you feel around other people. Your appetite might change, too. Some people lose interest in food when they’re stressed. Others find themselves thinking about something sweet or salty.
If eating gave you a bit of relief, notice that. Think about whether the stress came back later or you felt guilty afterward. Give yourself the same patience you’d give a friend telling you about their day.
Make room for a choice
Picture the moment just before you reach for food. Feel your feet on the floor again. Take an easy breath and let it out.
Ask yourself, “What am I noticing right now?”
Maybe your stomach feels empty, or you realize you haven’t eaten in hours. Maybe your jaw is tight and what you want most is a few quiet minutes. You could be hungry and stressed at the same time. You can take care of both.
If you’re hungry, give yourself permission to eat. If you’re stressed too, pick one small thing that might help. You might put your phone down and sit somewhere quiet for a minute.
If you have the food you’re craving, slow down for the first bite. Give yourself time to feel the texture and taste the food. After a few bites, pause and see how satisfied you feel. You might want more, or you might be happy with what you’ve had.
Take it with you
If you have a notebook handy, pause here. Jot down what was happening and what you wanted to eat. If you ate, note how you felt during and after. Did it give you what you needed at the time?
Over the next few weeks, try keeping a short note when one of these moments comes up. A line or two is plenty. Start with what happened. Then write down what you felt in your body and how you responded. If you tried something to ease the stress, jot down how it went. If you ate, note how the food tasted when you slowed down and how satisfied you felt.
You might only spot the pattern after the moment has passed. Write down what you noticed anyway. Seeing it afterward is part of the practice. Next time, you might catch it with your hand still on the cupboard door.
Choose one moment in your day to try this. Maybe when you get home or after a tough phone call. Picture yourself there with your feet on the floor. Take one breath and ask, “What would help me right now?”
Take one last easy breath. Feel where your body meets the chair or the floor. When you’re ready, open your eyes if they’re closed and look around the room.
Thanks for taking a few minutes to check in with yourself today.