Stress Eating

Stress is a feeling. Stress is when a person worries or fears. One may worry about a test. A person may be scared about doing a book report in front of class. Also, stress can come from a person hearing her parents fight or wondering if someone will tease her at school. Stress can be hard to live with sometimes. To get through the stress, a person finds ways to comfort herself.

Many kids and teens deal with stress by eating. This way of coping with stress can make a person too large. When you find yourself reaching into the fridge during a tough day, try these before eating:

• take a walk. Taking a walk (or any exercise) can help calm your body. Also, doing this most days can help your brain not feel as stressed all the time.

• take a bubble bath

• have a temper tantrum (just move all breakable objects first)

• punch your pillow or mattress

• let yourself cry

• call a friend

• grab your journal and free write. Free writing is when you write down whatever comes to mind without thinking about it. You may feel the stress come down your arm and onto the page!

• For other stress strategies, click here.

Sometimes, a person feels as if only food will help them deal with stress. If this happens to you, try to keep one or more of these foods in the front of the counter or fridge:

• dried crunchy soybeans

• carrots or celery

• air popped popcorn

• cold bottled water

• hot tea

• one lollipop

• For other foods to try, click here.