Home life, long hours in the office, political rants, dire global events – it’s enough to drive you to the nearest bag of biscuits. If you’re feeling the weight of the world in places other than your shoulders (oh hello stress eating), we can help.
1. Curate Your Social Media
A 2016 study found that the more social media platforms you’re juggling – more so than overall time spent online – the higher your risk for anxiety and depression, which can trigger stress eating. Rather than toggle between Insta, Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat and more, study author Dr Brian Primack recommends paring it down to your favourite one or two.
2. Be Strategic
Devote a specific time to checking headlines so you’re not bombarded all day. And, at night, turn off your phone and read a book: what you view via social in the 30 minutes before bed is more likely to interfere with sleep than anything you saw during the day – and too little shut-eye can mean more active weight-gain hormones.
READ MORE: 10 Things You Should Always Do When You Eat To Stop Gaining Weight
3. Post Your Emotions
In a Facebook study of 30 million status updates, 38 percent expressed a negative emotion – but responses to those posts had nearly 2.5 times more supportive words and also more positive emotion, perhaps because friends were wishing each other well.
4. Go From Snack-tivist To Activist
“We feel empowered when we shift our focus to what we can control, rather than merely reacting to what we don’t like,” says psychotherapist Dr Steven Stosny. So channel your anxiety by donating to or getting involved with a beloved cause.
READ MORE: 5 Healthy Snacks When All You Want Is A Packet Of Chips
5. Another Cool Option…
Take the angst over supper right out of the equation. Ever heard of UCOOK? It’s a company that delivers fresh ingredients directly to your home so you can make delicious, healthy meals in exactly the right proportions. Each week there is a new menu and the dishes are divided into three categories: Easy Peasy, Health Nut, Vegetarian. One less thing to stress about.
