While self-isolating is the best way to protect against Covid-19, being indoors & facing challenges during these difficult times can induce stress. Being stuck at home may lead to several unhealthy behaviours, including overeating due to stress and boredom.
Stress eating is using food to make yourself feel better, to fill emotional needs, rather than your stomach. Stress eating is also sometimes called emotional eating. In other words, it’s your emotions dictating when and how much you eat and not your body. It often leads to eating too much especially high-calorie food, junk, sweets and fatty foods. Overeating regularly can negatively affect your health and can sabotage your weight-loss efforts. It is easy to fall into bad habits at times like these, and this behaviour often makes you feel worse.
Individuals who consume oily or junk food are more likely to report symptoms of either moderate or severe psychological distress than their peers who consume a healthier diet. Here are some ways to prevent stress eating:
Set a schedule and stick to it. If you have an outline meal planned, you are less likely to feel a big empty space, which can make you feel rudderless and eventually lead to overeating.
Eat healthy planned meals: If you wait until you're hungry to decide what you're going to eat, you may end up eating more or choosing something higher in calories than you had intended to consume. Eat small frequent healthy meals. This also helps in avoiding cravings
Find other ways to manage stress: Try reaching out to a friend or family members, cleaning out a closet or drawer, streaming a free home exercise class, or any other healthy strategy to help reduce stress. Use technology to keep in touch with loved ones. Stay connected.
Don’t be afraid to seek help. Talking helps, be it a stranger, family, friends or a counsellor. If you've tried self-help options but you still can't control emotional eating, consider therapy with a mental health professional.
(The author is head of medical operations, DocsApp)