Stress- The Diet Destroyer

Why does stress make me hungry?? On work days that are calm I dont feel that hungry...when Im frazzled, and burning my candle on both ends from 8-5 all I want to do is eat?

 

Why is this, and what can I do about it???

 

 

I don't know.  Stress does the opposite for me.  When I feel frazzled I usually don't think of food.  Maybe you can take some carrot sticks or some of the 100 cal packs to munch on those frazzled days.

Yeah, 100 calorie packs or pre-measured, zip lock bagged snacks seem like a good idea.

Also, my mom thought we (my family) were all too stressed because of school, so she bought vitamins which are supposed to help... not sure how, but you might want to try that.
I haven't really felt stressed lately (and I have a lot more work than normal).

When I'm stressed, I like to take a walk into town or down the bike path. It helps me relax and not be so frazzled. Maybe you should try that? It'll get your mind off food for a while, at least.

:) Good luck

Neuropeptide Y is a strees hormone that ncreases with severe or prolonged stress.  This may be why some people in chronically stressful situations tend to gain weight.  At points of stress, you've activated neuotransmitters from a part of the brain called the locus coeruleus.  Your body, in response, tries to calm those neurotrasmitters and combat the stress.  Some people do it with cigrettes, some do it with food, some do it with sex, some do it with drugs. When you combat the stress with food, you're also activating the reward center of your brain.  And then after that initial feel-good system wear off, you'll reach again for the same thing that made you feel good, calm, and relaxed: food.  That's why stress and anxiety make it that much more difficult, neurochemically, to stick to whatever plan you're trying to follow