If you're an emotional eater, it's hard to not reach for the first decadent, sugary, or high-calorie treat to calm your nerves when tensions rise. Do that often enough, and it's no wonder why your skinny jeans are feeling more snug than usual. Here are ways to deal with stress without adding pounds to the scale.
- Find food-free ways to cope: Grabbing a candy bar or brownie is one way to handle a stressful situation, but it's not the only — let alone the healthiest — option. Try using a new approach. Call a friend, go on a walk, sip some hot tea, take a bath, or head to a yoga class.
- Take a step back: If you eat while in the thick of a stressful moment, then you can end up inhaling hundreds of calories without even realizing what you're doing. Take a break, breathe deeply, and get nerves under control, so when you do eat something, you're able to pay attention.
- Indulge wisely: Reach for these foods that fight stress, including dark chocolate and warm milk, or keep healthier indulgences on hand such as Greek yogurt sprinkled with a few almonds and chocolate chips. If you prefer a crunchy or savory snack, then go for homemade kale chips.
Keep reading for more tips on how to avoid weight gain when you're stressed.
Few expectant mamas find much joy in looking at the scale, but having been through it before, many second (third, and fourth) time moms have a general idea of what to expect. While some make a conscious effort to eat better than they did the first time around, others simply find they have less time to think about food when they're chasing after their firstborn. Still, some find that the weight packs on faster with a different pregnancy regardless of what they do.
