Texan Magazine
By Abby Kurth
What is it about stress that makes you abandon your healthy eating goals faster than you can say
“extra whipped cream”? Why does one bad day at work send you sprinting toward hot fudge
sundaes and potato chips while the carrot sticks sit in the fridge, wondering what they did
wrong?The answer, as it turns out, is not a lack of willpower. It’s biology. Sneaky, persuasive biology.
Your rational brain goes quiet, and your primitive brain takes control. Yikes!
Your body under stress. When you’re under stress, your body releases cortisol—also known as
the “fight or flight” hormone, or as I like to call it, the “fight, flight, or find the nearest cheese
dip” hormone. Elevated cortisol increases cravings for salty and sweet foods. Translation: your
brain is not asking for kale. It is requesting nachos.
Cortisol also reduces the effectiveness of leptin, the hormone that tells you that you are full. So
even if you’ve eaten enough, your body may not get the memo. On top of that, cortisol increases
insulin, which encourages fat storage—especially around the belly. Yes, stress doesn’t just make
you want cookies. It helps you store them.
And then there’s the fluid imbalance. Stress can deplete potassium, leading to water retention and
increased blood pressure. Eventually, sodium levels can dip, and suddenly you’re craving salt
and sharp cheese like it’s your part-time job. One source famously claimed that “cheese balls are
about as addictive as crack” to the stressed individual. That may be dramatic, but if you’ve ever
eaten half a tub without remembering doing so, you understand the sentiment.
Your brain under stress. But stress eating isn’t just physical. It’s psychological.
When you’re overwhelmed, your negative beliefs get loud. “I’ve had a terrible day. I deserve
this.” “Nothing else is under control, so why bother?” Sometimes eating becomes a way to numb
out. If we’re chewing, we’re not feeling. If we’re focused on chocolate, we’re not focused on the
difficult conversation, looming deadline, or family tension waiting for us.
The good news? We are not bound by our physiology or our emotions. Believing we can rise
above our impulses is what makes you successful. So how do you stomp out stress eating
without declaring war on yourself?
Stay Well Nourished
Keep your appetite stable even when nothing else feels stable. Eating five small meals a day that
include protein and high-fiber foods helps maintain balanced blood sugar. When blood sugar
crashes, the adrenal glands pump out more cortisol to compensate. Suddenly, your “snack”
becomes a drive-thru experience.
Think steady fuel: eggs and whole-grain toast, Greek yogurt with nuts, hummus and vegetables,
chicken and brown rice. Balanced blood sugar means fewer biological ambushes.
Emphasize Mood-Boosting Foods
Food can actually support a calmer brain. Serotonin, one of our “feel-good” brain chemicals,
relies on certain nutrients.
• B-vitamins: brown rice, chicken, eggs, leafy greens, legumes, nuts, sunflower seeds,
nutritional yeast.
• Calcium: almonds, leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables, fish with bones, sesame seeds,
tofu.
• Magnesium: leafy greens, brown rice, sesame seeds, salmon, shrimp.
• Tryptophan: turkey, soy foods, peanuts, almonds.
• Essential fatty acids: salmon, sardines, tuna, flax oil, walnut oil, eggs.
Notice something? These foods don’t come in crinkly bags. They come from the earth, the sea,
or something that once had feathers.
Plan to Prevent
Stress cravings hit fast. You don’t rise to the occasion—you fall to your level of preparation.
Keep healthy snacks visible and accessible. Hide the junk. Better yet, don’t bring it home.
Small packets of unsalted nuts, apples, bananas, or trail mix without added sugar can help you
sidestep the vending machine. Pair protein with complex carbohydrates—like cheese and wholegrain bread—to create staying power.
And yes, a small piece of dark chocolate (around 72% cocoa) can absolutely fit. The key word is
small. You’re savoring it, not reenacting a survival scenario.
Recognize What’s Happening
When the urge to eat hits, pause. Rate your hunger on a scale from 1 to 10. When did you last
eat? Is your stomach actually growling, or did your boss just send an email marked “urgent”?
Negative emotions often trigger what feels like hunger but is really just a habitual response.
Awareness interrupts autopilot. Sometimes simply naming the feeling—“I’m anxious” or “I’m
frustrated”—takes the edge off the craving.
Try Mindful Eating
Mindful eating isn’t about chewing 47 times per bite while meditating over a raisin. It’s about
paying attention. Use your senses. Notice taste, texture, and satisfaction. Listen for fullness cues.
When you slow down, you often discover that three bites of something delicious are far more
satisfying than twenty distracted ones eaten standing over the sink.
Have a Plan B… and C
Stress doesn’t send a calendar invite. Be ready. Out of sight truly does help. Plan B is to BLOCK cookies behind larger items. Hide ice cream with frozen vegetables. Change your driving route if it passes your favorite bakery. You are not weak for avoiding temptation—you are wise.
Craving crunch? Plan C is to keep cut carrots, celery, or even roasted chickpeas on hand. Dried apples, or oven-baked chips are a better option than most fried snacks. Want something sweet?
Fruit provides natural sugars, plus fiber and nutrients.
Call on a Substitute
If stress eating is automatic, it needs a replacement behavior. Choose a healthy stress-buster:
• Go for a brisk walk.
• Listen to music.
• Call a friend.
• Brush your dog or cat.
• Sit quietly and breathe for five minutes.
Movement lowers cortisol. Connection calms the nervous system. Even brief pauses can shift
your state.
Address the Root
Ultimately, managing stress eating means addressing stress itself. Are you overcommitted?
Underslept? Avoiding a hard conversation? Food can distract, but it cannot solve.
As researcher Suzanne Thayer points out, eventually you have to figure out what’s causing the
stress and work to alleviate it. When you reduce the stressor, you reduce the trigger.
Stress eating is not a character flaw. It is a very human response to very human pressures. Your
body is trying to protect you, fuel you, and soothe you—all at once. The trick is to work with
your biology instead of against it.
So the next time a rough day tempts you toward the cheese balls, pause. Breathe. Ask what you
really need. Maybe it’s food. Maybe it’s rest. Maybe it’s a walk around the block.
Carrot sticks may never win against nachos in a fair fight. But with preparation, awareness, and a
little self-compassion, you can stack the odds in your favor—and enjoy your food without letting
stress call the menu.
Abby Kurth MPH, MS Nutrition, is a Clinical Nutritionist and Health Coach. Her book,
Wellness is More Than Weight: Easy Steps to Change Your Health Habits and Your Life,
addresses ways to manage stress and ideas for making healthy habits successful. A quiz to find
what is needed to make your own healthy habits and other information is available free at
abbykurthnutrition.coach.
