Finally, Tsui notes, psychological factors could also affect how your body responds to stress-eating. Depending on how much you’ve internalized certain diet culture stigmas—like not eating outside of breakfast, lunch, and dinner; or minimizing “junk food”—you might feel a sense of shame or self-disgust at flouting these principles, and that could “definitely compound that physical discomfort as well,” she says.
Either way, intense or extended periods of stress-eating can leave you feeling rough: “You feel very sluggish, you feel tired, you feel bloated, you may be having digestive issues, [or] your skin may not be great,” Azzaro says.
What helps after a week of stress-eating
While this “general discomfort” is likely to dissipate as you return to your normal eating habits, here are some suggestions to help you feel better in the meantime.
Practice mindfulness
Before you place that new DoorDash order, Azzaro says, take a beat to ask yourself, What do I actually need in this moment? What will actually make me feel better? Confronting yourself in this way can help you take a more thoughtful approach to stress-eating and hone in on the root cause of your cravings. Food often becomes the first line of defense because it’s so readily accessible, but many times, we actually need something else instead, whether it’s a warm bath, a little physical movement, or a chat with a friend.
Be wary of overcorrecting
When you’ve been overdoing it for a while (and you can feel it in your body), underdoing it—eating less than usual—might seem like the most logical way to reverse all those negative changes. “It might be tempting to say, ‘I’m going to eat nothing but salad for a week,’ or ‘I’m going to skip breakfast,’” Azzaro says. But restricting your food intake is simply the other side of the same coin as stress-eating: It’s an all-or-nothing approach that likely doesn’t deliver the nutrients you need to function at your best. Without enough food, you’ll run into issues like fatigue, moodiness, and constipation, for example. “So it’s actually a smarter and more balanced approach to feed yourself the way that you need,” Azzaro says—starting with not forcing yourself to go hungry.
Lean on healthy substitutes
If you’re continuing to battle cravings for specific flavors, textures, or foods, scratching that itch with better-for-you alternatives—“something that’s got some more nutrients to sort of mitigate the damage,” Azzaro says—can help you ease back into your normal routine. For example, people who gravitate toward crunchy items like crackers, chips, and pretzels when they’re agitated or anxious could opt for air-popped popcorn, baby carrot sticks, or cucumber slices instead, Azzaro says. Meanwhile, those who like a sweet, cool, and creamy combo could trade out ice cream for chocolate avocado pudding or Greek yogurt topped with berries.
Consider nutrient balance
“Snacky foods tend to be more carb-heavy foods, and carbs are often satisfying in that moment, but that satisfaction doesn’t necessarily last,” Tsui says. Introducing “protein, fats, and fiber, to a certain extent, can help give that snack a little bit more staying power.” You don’t even have to do a massive overhaul, either: If you want to stick to the crackers, chips, and pretzels we mentioned above, pairing them with a nutritious dip or topping (say, tortilla chips and guac, crackers and hummus, or crackers and cheese) can help keep you full longer.
Plan ahead
Plotting out your meals and snacks in advance means you’re “more likely to make more nutrient-dense, nourishing choices,” Tsui says (as opposed to simply opening the fridge door when you feel the hunger pangs kick in and snatching the first thing you see). Similarly, stress-eating often tends to occur around, well, times of stress, so anticipating those windows (if possible) can cue you to meal prep so you have healthier choices on hand.
Find your baseline again—but feel free to go slow
It’s okay if you don’t bounce back right away after a weeklong free-for-all. If the prospect of reverting all at once feels like it would invite whiplash, try making one small healthy change per day until you’ve recovered your footing. Maybe that’s eating three regular meals or even just eating breakfast on a consistent basis, Tsui says. Tiny adjustments can restore a sense of order and “make you feel that you’re getting back to your usual self.” And “tiny” is no exaggeration: Dietitians “often emphasize food, but even just getting enough fluid can be a good start for some people,” Tsui says—which leads us to our next rec.
Drink more water
“Our bodies need a lot of water, and I think sometimes, when we’re stressed and we’re not eating properly, we might forget to drink,” Tsui says. Making a conscious effort to have 8 to 10 glasses per day can be a “simple first step” if you’re working to get back on track. Unlike buying new groceries, meal-planning, or meal-prepping, after all, doubling down on water requires minimal time and effort and no financial investment. What’s more, water can help alleviate constipation, so this step can also help reestablish regularity if you haven’t been pooping as frequently as usual. “Hydration is really important to help your body clear out anything that is gunking up the system,” Azzaro says. (And remember, your fluid intake doesn’t have to be limited to straight H2O, either: Other beverages—like coffee, herbal tea, seltzer, and flavored water—also count.)
Eat more fiber
Much like water, fiber is a crucial ingredient in digestive health, so eating more fiber-rich items can help address stress-eating side effects like bloating and constipation. Try chia seeds, flax seeds, and oatmeal, Azzaro advises. More broadly, she notes, fiber also supports your body’s own detoxification machinery—your liver, your kidneys, and your digestive system, all of which work to process nutrients and eliminate toxins.
Don’t be too tough on yourself
Even though people who stress-eat often experience food guilt, “food is a [legitimate] way that folks cope with stress, and that is okay,” Tsui says. Other objections aside, berating yourself over it is only going to cause you additional stress, so it’s fundamentally counterproductive (though diet culture makes it hard to escape regardless). “Whatever is driving your stress-eating is probably very hard, and you are doing the best that you can with what is available to you,” Tsui says. “So I think step one is just really offering a lot of self-compassion.” From there, you can work to “expand your toolbox” of coping mechanisms and stress-management strategies. And if you feel your stress-eating habits are spiraling out of control, impacting your daily life, or even start to resemble binge eating disorder, don’t hesitate to seek out mental health support.
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