Week 9: Stress Eating: The Whys and Wherefores
Yeah, baby, I’m on a roll now. Join us for another week with the Marketing for Romance Writers 52-Week Blog Challenge. #MFRWauthor.
Today, I wouldn’t call myself a stress or emotional eater, but I am a want-to-stress/emotional-eat person who cheats occasionally. The last year has taught me not to indulge in certain comfort foods when I’m stressed, but I want to. Oh, I could at the drop of a hat and have cheated.
Bing search had 36,400,000 results for stress or emotional eating this morning.
Google had about 514,000,000 results.
From Very Well Fit:
“Stress Eating and How to Overcome It”
https://www.verywellfit.com/what-is-emotional-eating-3495967
Stress eating is consuming food in response to your feelings, especially when you are not hungry. Stress eating is also sometimes called emotional eating. Emotional eating means that your emotions — not your body — dictate when and how much you eat.
Some stress eaters binge when they are sad or confused. For others, eating can be a way of avoiding thinking about problems or taking the action required to solve them.” Jennifer R. Scott, Medically reviewed by Richard N. Fogoros, MD,
Updated August 10, 2018.
https://www.verywellfit.com/what-is-emotional-eating-3495967
The article talks about signs, how to stop or control stress eating, and more.
It used to be, I’d grab a chocolate candy bar or chips, or better yet, both. I love Pringles®, and chips and chocolate together. I love chips. I love French fries. I want French fries. (My editor would die over all those repeats.)
There’s something about the crunch, salt, and fat that has a payoff when stressed.
What about apples? They’re crunchy? Shrugging.
Off topic, but sometimes when I go out for lunch, the server will ask if I want fries. I tell him or her yes if she/he could bring me one. No one has brought me “one” yet. I’m serious. Stressed or not, I want “one.”
Then there are carbs and sweets. Give me a damn loaf of Italian bread and butter. Oh, dear sugar, how I love you when I’m stressed…er, how I used to love you. Wait, no, I still do.
Chocolate, apple pie, and carrot cake was, and sometimes is, a go-to for a taking-the-stress-away sweet emotional reward. Now, I can’t shouldn’t have any of the above.
I’m no different from anyone else. A good quarter-pounder from you know where would make me happy, and in the old days, I’d indulge when I didn’t want to deal with issues happening in my life. Therefore, I admit I’m a wanna-be stress eater who cheats on occasion but not with quarter pounders.
How bout you? Does stress drive you to eat?
This is a blog hop with other authors. Join them HERE for links to their blogs.
Mary J. McCoy-Dressel 
15 thoughts on “#AmWriting Stress and Eating #MFRWauthor”
Cathy Brockman
Luckily I’m not a quarter pounder fan though I do like the McDouble occasionally… when I’m in the mood for s burger.. and not that often. I crave chocolate a couple kisses ( the candy variety since I have no hunky cowboy will do). I’m stressed I want a quiet room with my kindle or if it’s warm my patio seat, a skein if yarn and a audio book suffices I am human though and when stress hits for days bring on the fried chicken and gravy😇
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Mary J. McCoy-Dressel
A quiet room or warm patio and a tablet sounds like an excellent way to relax, Cathy. The girl who does my hair has jars of chocolate kisses and Life Savers. So as not to pig out on chocolate in public, I used to limit myself to two or three. Now, I rarely only take one Life Saver. I’m proud of myself for passing up the kisses. Hunky cowboy kisses would be no calories though, but it might burn a few. ❤ 😉 ❤
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henhousepublishing
My favorite snacks are of the savory and salty variety, including pickles, olives, and bread.
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Mary J. McCoy-Dressel
All of those sound good to me, Holly. I watched a cooking show the other night where they made bread with black olives. They aren’t salty, but the bread looked good.
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Rhonda Gilmour writing romance as Sadira Stone
Pickles–what a good idea! Do I eat to avoid feelings? I don’t think so, but sometimes I indulge in an unhealthy pattern of rewarding myself with food (rather than, say, a stiff drink) after having endured a horrible day. So–stress eating’s equally unhealthy cousin? Then again, I’m with the 80/20 school–never say never to a favorite treat, just make it a very occasional indulgence. Good article!
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Mary J. McCoy-Dressel
Thanks, Rhonda. I liked the pickle idea, too. Without the occasional treat, I don’t think I’d make it. 🙂 I’m with you there.
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Cathy Brockman
Does fryin that pickle count? Lol
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Mary J. McCoy-Dressel
LOL, Cathy! I have a feeling it doesn’t count. Too cute.
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D. Wallace Peach
You made me smile about the one fry, Mary. I don’t eat sugar or carbs, but every once in a while, I smell a loaf of fresh bread and I want to gobble the whole thing. I eat lots of pickles instead. Ha ha. When I stress? I read – it’s wonderfully distracting. 🙂
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Mary J. McCoy-Dressel
I mean it, Diana, just one fry. Haha. Oh, great idea >> I’ll try pickles and a book. I hear dill pickle juice is good for you. It sure can’t hurt! 🙂
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D. Wallace Peach
Baby Dills – zero calories, zero carb, and zero sugar! East as many as you want. Ha ha.
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Mary J. McCoy-Dressel
Adding to my shopping list. 😉
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storimom2
I used to buy the frozen bread dough….but would have to make two loaves at a time: One to save for later and the other to eat as soon as it came out:) Is there anything better than hot fresh bread, slathered in butter? LOL!
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D. Wallace Peach
I love fresh bread slathered in butter. It’s the only thing I miss about a low-carb diet – ugh. 😀
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Mary J. McCoy-Dressel
Oh, I can’t think of many things better than bread slathered with butter other than hot fudge. However, I can’t let myself think about either. Haha.
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