Americans are some of the most stressed people in the world. 55% of American adults reported that they had experienced significant stress throughout the day BEFORE the start of the pandemic. Now, stress for many is at an all time high due to COVID-related concerns, dissatisfaction at work/unemployment, childcare concerns for parents, inflation effecting everyone’s checking account, and uncertainty for the future. Unfortunately, many people report having gained “The COVID 19”- accumulating pounds since the start of the pandemic. As pandemic conditions rage on, our stress levels do too. Stress often leads to unhealthy habits that prevent us from reaching weight loss goals. Let’s look at behaviors associated with stress, anxiety, and depression that may be keeping those pounds on your frame!

1. Stress can cause you to keep reaching for caffeine. Coffee is a natural anti-depressant. If you have to drag yourself out of bed, sometimes coffee is the motivating factor in the morning. If you opt drive-thru or coffee shop, you can be sure that the dose of caffeine in that Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte with Oat Milk will temporarily make you feel like a million bucks. But become aware of the fact that there is always a wall that you hit when you rely on caffeine for the dopamine rush. There is often an intense hunger that follows this crash when you need a quick fix to bring your energy levels back to normal. High amounts of caffeine can feel like a blood sugar rollercoaster! If you choose to enjoy caffeine, find ways to moderate your use of it. It’s wise to stop drinking alcohol after noon. Consider switching to tea which has a lower caffeine content than coffee. Or try this hack that I have used for years- I fill my coffee maker with 50% organic decaf coffee and 50% organic regular coffee. This allows me to enjoy the flavor of coffee (which I love) and have a few cups throughout the morning without overdoing the caffeine!
2. Stress may tell you that you need alcohol to relax. The fact of the matter is, alcohol is a sneaky liar. Alcohol may temporarily give you a feeling of not giving a f*ck but it will make you feel worse that that night and the next day. If you imbibe- start paying attention to the 24-48 hours of depression that follows those few minutes or hours of buzzy pleasure. If you find that you can’t stop after 1-2 drinks, you need to absolutely take a step back and make a plan for drying out. Alcohol destroys your chances of reaching your weight loss goals by creating blood sugar dysregulation, decreases inhibitions which results in poor snack/dinner/hangover breakfast choices, and packs a load of calories in if you can’t imbibe moderately (100+ calories per beverage). Also, alcohol is a major contributing factor of insomnia and those dreaded 3:00 AM cortisol rushes that wake you up and make you feel like you can’t fall back asleep!
3. Stress makes it hard to get good quality sleep. In addition to the sleep interruptions caused by alcohol (as detailed above), anxiety and stress can cause you to lay in bed with eyes wide open reliving the days events and trying to predict the future. Try these tips for falling back asleep when insomnia sets in. Definitely avoid alcohol if you are suffering. Instead of worrying, ponder the best outcome. Imagine how good it will feel when things work out. Feel the way you would feel if things worked out. Smile and experience the warm and fuzzy emotion. This is called manifesting and can be done anywhere, any time. Worrying is like praying for the outcome you dread to occur. Stop those thoughts and think positive. Sounds trite, but it YOU can create habits of positivity. Reach out to me for support with this!
4. Stress leads you to choose convenience food and snacks between meals. In general, convenience food (i.e. packaged food, protein bars, freezer meals, fast food, to-go meals, etc.) is less healthy than meals you would prepare for yourself with your vast knowledge of the health benefits of the vegan diet. After a long day juggling work stresses with relationship strains, you may just want to sit on the couch and do a little hand to mouth with a snack food, instead of standing in the kitchen and washing and prepping your veggies and starches for a whole food plant based meal. Reaching for processed food results in higher caloric intake (due to the high caloric density of these food) and low satiation (because the sugar, salt, and fat in these foods tricks your brain into wanting MORE AND MORE!). Change your routine if you find yourself instantly on the couch with a bag of snacks. Go for a quick walk after work. Make an herbal cup of decaf tea and soak your feet in relaxing Epsom salt in another room of the house- anything to break the cycle. Give yourself a break, then get in the kitchen and prepare those veggies! Loading 50% of your plant with non-starchy veg is the first step to vegan weight loss!
5. Stress makes you procrastinate on your personal goals. “I’ll start my diet on Monday, I just need a weekend of comfort food and drinks and then I’ll be ready to rock my goals.” Have you said something similar to yourself in the past? I want to say this gingerly, but there’s no easy way for me to break it to you. YOU ARE CHEATING YOURSELF. You are only hurting yourself by procrastinating. You must acknowledge your triggers. You must change your habits. You must stick to your plan. You must see it through. You must not procrastinate. If your brain is telling you that comfort food and booze and treats will cheer you up, guess what? You are an addict trapped in a vicious cycle that will make you fatter and more depressed. Healthy people take walks, visit the gym, eat vegetables, and take care of themselves. Fat and sick people eat junk food, sit on the couch all night, drink booze, and lie to themselves after when they will turn their lives around.