need advice on stress eating during finals

Finals week starts on Monday and I'll be sitting all day and sleeping just a few hours a night. The stress makes me ridiculously hungry and I can't just get up and go for a walk or exercise instead of snacking. Any suggestions for what to do to take my mind off food/something to do instead while I'm sitting and studying all day long? Also, I have TMJ so I can't chew gum. Thanks for your help!

Sun. May 13, 1:31am

The tough part is that this is probably a habit already, and you can't break a habit overnight. These strategies might help:

- Make the snacks unavailable - even if you are thinking about them, you can't eat what isn't there.
- Drink tea, water, diet soda, Crystal Light, etc.
- Brush your teeth and use Listerine before you sit down to study.
- When you think of eating, get up and do 10 sit ups.

Sunday, May 13, 2007, 8:15 AM

How about doing some "exercise" while sitting in your chair-- i.e. leg lifts and ab "crunches" (i.e. holding the abs in tightly for a few seconds) while doing your studying? Maybe that will help to keep you from not moving at all....

I agree-- water is good.... or even have bananas, apples, carrots or celery on hand to munch on-- that way, if you are finding the need to eat, it's more healthy for you?

Monday, May 14, 2007, 12:00 AM

I wish I would've read this post earlier... i'm cramming today, and i at a bunch of crap I didn't need.

Good tips.
Good luck on your tests OP!

Monday, May 14, 2007, 1:36 AM

stress

When I get stressed,I wear essential oils ,Cedar, Jasmine,Lavender, it calms me. I also try to drink homemade vegetable soup and decaff teas in 'Jasmine, Vanilla, Apple/cinnamon, and Mint work the best! Go for a brief walk between your studying and carry water and a high protein lunch w/ you when you feel hungry.

Monday, May 14, 2007, 4:09 AM

Snack

Do you feel the impulse to snack as you study? I often do and I've found the best thing to do is to induldge this urge if it helps you focus. Just keep all junk food out of the house. If you have it and don't want to trash it then seal it in a rubbermaid bin and put it in the back of a closet. Instead of the chips and the soda go for veggies, fruit and a healthier drink, water, herbal teas, or if you must have soda go with diet.

Monday, May 14, 2007, 11:08 AM

I like sugar snap peas. Probably just because they're something different than the typical baby carrots, which I get really sick of.

In the produce section, there are often prepackaged, prewashed bags of "stir fry veggies." I buy these when I know I'm going to be doing a lot of snacking.

I also like button mushrooms. And sliced raw peppers.

Veggies are easier than fruit, b/c they're not juicy, so they're not messy. And soem have a satisfying crunch. If I have chips/crackers/etc. around, I will eat the whole thing in a sitting if I'm studying, b/c I'm just not paying attention. So I need to be sure that what I eat is very low cal, because I know I'm going to eat a ton!

I also agree with the soup thing. But, for a student, hot water w/ bouillion, or Lipton Cup-A-Soup is probably more reasonable than homemade vegetable broth, as good as that sounds!

Monday, May 14, 2007, 1:44 PM

OP here.....darn I think it's a little late. The best advice was to keep all the junk food out of the house. What did I do instead....this weekend I stopped at the store to get some "snack" foods that were quick and easy to have during finals. Now that a box of cookies is gone, the ice cream is almost gone, and I'm almost out of junk food I just won't buy any more!! It really does help get through the week and up until today I was able to exercise daily. I also kept trying to drink a lot of water (helped me stay awake and kept me from reaching for a snack). I know I wasn't very good the past few days, but I am going to eat healthy tomorrow after my last big test! Thank you all for your advice!!

Wednesday, May 16, 2007, 10:11 PM

EXERSIZE BALL!

I use an exersize ball doe a chair...
when I get that hunger ping I Stretch out on it
take some deep breaths and grab a stick of gum.
Maybe do a few sit-ups refreash my mind and get back to work.

Wednesday, May 16, 2007, 10:21 PM

PLAN food and PLAN study

1. If you have a pattern of over-eating during the stress and tedium of finals week studying, plan to eat an amount that maintains your ideal weight -- not the lower amount to help lose weight (for example, 2000 calories, not 1200). Then lay out five small easy meals for each day -- with very low fat and high fiber -- and eat them all. Just plan to banish all hunger.

2. Also, plan your study. Plan to do it with an attitude maximizing maturity and serenity and minimizing stress and panic. Know yourself. Should you study at home, at the library or both? With friends or alone? What music? Marathon all-day session, or in three hour segments separated by walks and a bit of recreation (like 20 minutes for a phone call -- shooting baskets -- bubble bath?) Is academic success enough of a reward for meeting your goals, or should you augment it with an additional (non-food) reward? Choose your attitude and your self talk. I repeat: avoid panic, which closes off learning and encourages eating.

Good Luck!

Thursday, May 17, 2007, 7:33 AM

Buy healthy foods you can eat and eat on. apples get you full fast. If you want "real" food while eating buy boca patties. they are all veggie and healthy for you.

to lose those 6 pounds eat 1500 calories and exercise an hour a day. it'll come off

exercisetrainingstore

Saturday, March 09, 2013, 9:04 PM

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