Running a business isn’t all they told you it would be, especially when you’re trying to build and grow. There is a never ending string of tasks to complete, long hours and high levels of stress. When you’re the secretary, the MD, the CFO, the marketing manager and the service provider, it can often feel like the walls are closing in on you and reaching out for comfort, often comes in the form of fast, easy to access dopamine hits – FOOD. **All this overwhelm isn’t good for us – but you can check out my free webinar on Monday 27th February if you want to get some practical strategies to manage it – sign up HERE.**
Unfortunately, stress eating can have a major impact on both your physical and mental health, as well as your overall productivity and fulfilment, not just as a business owner, but in your personal life too.
What is stress eating?
Stress eating refers to the tendency to overeat in response to stress, anxiety, or other emotional triggers. In entrepreneurs, it’s one of the BIGGEST problems people come up against when it comes to getting a handle on their own health. Stress eating the fast food for a quick hit of happy hormones, can lead to a whole host of health issues and reduce your productivity, leaving you with success slipping through your fingers. Stress eating can be a vicious cycle. The weight gain and negative health impacts of stress eating can in turn lead to even more stress and anxiety, perpetuating the cycle of overeating.
What can we do about it?
So, what can you do to overcome the temptation of stress eating and maintain a healthy lifestyle despite a busy schedule? Here are a few tips:
- Practice mindfulness: Mindful eating is the practice of paying attention to your food, your body, and your emotions while eating. This can help you avoid overeating and make healthier food choices. Try to take the time to sit down and enjoy your meals, rather than eating on the go or while multitasking. It will help you switch back on and recognise your hunger and satiety cues and be present in the moment, rather than leaving it as a fleeting feeling and part of an addictive cycle.
- Find alternative stress-relievers: Instead of turning to food, try to find other ways to manage your stress. When the moment arises and you’re craving the multi-pack of Curly Wurlys, instead, remove yourself from the situation. Get up. Walk away. Exercise and physical movement as well as breaking the mental cycle with distraction and change, can be a really magical tool to help you overcome stress-based cravings.
- Plan ahead: One of the biggest challenges of a busy lifestyle is finding the time to eat healthily. To overcome this, try to plan ahead and prepare healthy meals and snacks in advance. This will make it easier to resist the temptation of fast food or junk food when you’re on the go. Think about batch cooking, using leftovers for lunches and making sure you do a meal plan at the beginning of each week so you know you have all the bases covered – because decision fatigue is real and it’s one of the BIGGEST PROBLEMS that leads to poor eating choices when it comes to busy people.
- Avoid triggers: Identify the situations and emotions that trigger your stress eating, and try to avoid them or find healthier ways to cope. For example, if you tend to stress eat when you’re working late, try to take a break every hour or so to stretch, go for a walk, or simply take a deep breath. You could also look at adjusting your timetable and seeing whether you’d benefit from putting those extra hours in earlier in the day – or even better, working on your prioritisation and time management to fix the root of the problem…
- Get support: Finally, don’t be afraid to reach out for help. Support from friends, family, a coach or a therapist can be invaluable in overcoming stress eating and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Having objectivity from someone outside your emotional situation is one of the key ways to overcome stress-based challenges.
If you think stress eating sounds like one of your own habits, then check in with the Super Human scorecard for some practical, handy tips on how you can get started on improving things today.