{"id":8038,"date":"2016-04-08T07:00:09","date_gmt":"2016-04-08T11:00:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/doinglifetogether\/?p=8038"},"modified":"2016-04-01T15:58:32","modified_gmt":"2016-04-01T19:58:32","slug":"press-pause-to-reduce-stress-eating","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/doinglifetogether\/2016\/04\/press-pause-to-reduce-stress-eating.html","title":{"rendered":"Press PAUSE to Reduce Stress Eating"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"woman<\/a>Tony was mad at himself. He wasn’t hungry but downed a burger and fries anyway.<\/p>\n

Renee finds that after a hard day at work, she opens the refrigerator and dives into the snacks.<\/p>\n

And Holly eats whenever she prepares for a big test at college.<\/p>\n

All three of these people eat as a reaction to stress. And this bad habit can pack on the pounds and lead to eating disorders. So, I developed the PAUSE Principle to help us stop stress eating.<\/p>\n

The Pause Principle for stress eating <\/strong><\/p>\n

P<\/strong>–Purpose not to use food for stress relief-make it conscious and intentional that you will not turn to food when stressed.<\/p>\n

A<\/strong>–Attend to your body for signs of tension. You have to be aware of the stress you feel in order to stop. Pay attention to cravings–they are not the same as hunger. Cravings will eventually go away if you don’t feed them.<\/p>\n

U-<\/strong>–Understand that chronic stress takes a toll on the body and that food is not a solution. Connect the dots–all this eating is leading to more stress. This is not a healthy solution.<\/p>\n

S<\/strong>–Strategize ways to reduce, prevent and tolerate stress without using food. What else could you do instead of eating? See suggestions below.<\/p>\n

E<\/strong>–Execute small changes\u2014engage in calming exercises like music mediation, deep breathing, Scripture reading, prayer–whatever it takes to calm your body and\u00a0relax. The more you practice calming strategies, the more you will do them.<\/p>\n

Strategies<\/strong> to reduce mindless eating when stressed:<\/p>\n