How to stop overeating: tips to reduce stress eating

If you frequently find yourself overeating to the point of feeling sick and would like to stop, but feel out of control, keep reading!

Tip one: Eat up (the right foods)

As busy moms, it’s easy to let time slip by between meals and then feel HUNGRY and overeat. While it may seem counterintuitive, EATING more (of the right foods) can actually prevent you from getting over-hungry and then overeating.

But the key is eating the RIGHT things. A high protein diet with lots of fiber (think: fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, etc.) can help keep you satisfied between meals. Highly processed foods (think: chips, crackers, muffins, etc.) will not fill you up for long at all -even if they are high in calories.

Wondering how to increase protein intake?

High protein foods include meats, cottage cheese, greek yogurt, and vegetarian options like lentils or soy beans. For simple protein options, I love using rotisserie chicken, protein shakes, cottage cheese cups, and lunch meat.

Tip two: Managing stress + feeling your feelings instead of numbing

Managing stress is the second key factor in reducing overeating or stress eating. If you frequently overeat when feeling stressed out (hello motherhood) you are not alone. It’s easy to “treat” yourself at the end of a hard day, but doing this on the daily will only lead to feeling like crap.

Stress management looks different for everyone, but a few proven ways include the following:

• walk or physical activity

• meditation or a few minutes of quiet

• journaling it all out is surprisingly effective

• therapy

• true self-care— alone time, time with friends, time to tend to your own needs

• reading - quiet, relaxation sans screen

• reducing social media/news intake

Remember, none of these tools will take away the feeling of stress/anxiety/etc. You will need to learn to allow the feeling without numbing it with food.

Uncomfortable feelings do not last forever… most pass quickly, and they for sure pass quicker when you notice and feel the feeling (I.e. what does it feel like in your body? Pressure or heaviness? Is it hot or cold? Do you want to cry? Scream?

Allow it, name it, sit with it. Set a timer, and wait 20 minutes before reaching for food. Getting used to sitting with your emotions will allow you to drastically reduce emotional eating.

And even if emotional eating feels good in the moment, there is STILL discomfort in the form of bloating/physical pain, dealing with weight gain, etc.

Ready to break up with emotional eating for good?? Sick of trying alll the diets? Download my free ebook below!

Momentum > Motivation: why motivation is NOT the key to weight loss or reaching health goals

Motivation waxes and wanes (it’s basically a FEELING…. it’s normal to not always feel motivated, just like it’s normal to not always feel happy)… so if you’re waiting to feel motivated or stay motivated, you may be waiting quite a while!

What’s an alternative? Take action and build MOMENTUM with quick wins! I like to have my clients focus on quick wins for the beginning of the DAY and the beginning of the WEEK.

Think of these quick wins as a domino… they build on each other and lead to results much quicker than waiting around to feel motivated.

Examples of quick wins in the morning:

• make bed

• plan meals for the day

• fill water bottles

• prep snack ahead of time

• lay out workout clothes

Examples of quick wins early in the week:

• workout on Monday!

• meal plan for the week

• make grocery list/order grocery pick up

• plan workouts for the week

• schedule self-care appointments I.e. medical, dental, therapy, etc. (aka knock something off the to-do list that will benefit your future self!)

Are you ready to BUILD MOMENTUM with your healthy habits?? Are you sick of starting and stopping the same diet over and over?? Be sure and download my free nutrition guide!

Are you ready to break up with restrictive diets??

I've been obsessing over & coaching nutrition for the past decade…

But I’m baffled that people are still jumping from restrictive diet to restrictive diet and feeling frustrated with their weight, year after year after year. 

I ESPECIALLY hate that newly postpartum moms are targeted with diets that are not only NOT sustainable, but too low-calorie to provide the necessary energy required for nursing, motherhood, etc.!

My take— I put together a brand new ebook on how you can BREAK UP with the restrictive diets and learn how to work WITH your body toward health + sustainable weight loss WITHOUT giving up food you love, obsessing over counting calories, or feeling hungry. 

 Click below to download the (free!) 19 page ebook full of tips + info to help you break up with dieting, cut the sugar cravings for good. 

How to make your workout clothes last

Whether you spend a pretty penny on leggings at Lululemon or you live for the cute/inexpensive workout wear at Old Navy (or you love a little of both, like me), I'm guessing you probably want to keep your gym clothes in good shape. Here are 6 tips to keep your gym clothes from falling apart (and smelling fresh) for the long haul. I've been using most of these tips for years, and honestly my gym clothes have held up so well! I have crops I've worn weekly for YEARS and they still look great. I definitely attribute that to buying good quality clothes, but taking care of them helps too. 

1. No fabric softener. Use laundry detergent only! Fabric softener isn't good for the sweat wicking fabrics. 
2. Hang Dry. I hang dry all of my workout clothes (aside from cotton tanks). I have a drying rack from target like this one. I got this tip from someone who works at Lulu. It will definitely make your clothes last longer if they aren't going in the dryer!
3. Re-wear. For things like jackets and leggings, I will often wear them 2-3 times before washing. Unless, I get sweaty of course! But if I'm just wearing a pair of leggings to walk the dog, I will definitely re-wear.
4. What about shoes? I will throw my nikes in the wash when they start looking grubby. Put them in the wash with a tiny bit of detergent and a small towel (like a hand towel- this helps them get clean on the outside) and then air dry. They look as good as new!
5. When things get smelly.... The problem with a lot of wicking materials is they holds on to smells more than fabrics like cotton... use a "scent booster" like these tabs from downey if things start getting funky. You can also use vinegar in your laundry to help deodorize. 
6. Be gentle. Use gentle detergent. Dyes and perfumes can cause wear on the fabric over time. Luckily dye-free and perfume-free detergents are widely available these days. Store brands have them, and of course companies like Method and The Honest Company have them as well. 

Let me know if you have any tips for keeping your gym clothes in tip-top shape! 

The Best Youtube Channels and Apps for Home Workouts

I've put together a list of some of the best fitness youtube channels and apps to help you get in shape at home (or wherever)! In to yoga? Zumba? 10 minute workouts? There is a little something for everyone here. 

I love youube workouts if I need an added dose of motivation (it's like having an instructor with you). It's also great to have a live example so you can really see how a movement is done (and you can check your form!). 

Youtube Channels

Yoga with Adriene: I love this channel! She has short workouts, more intense sequences, 20 day challenges, yoga for stress or relaxation....a little yoga for everyone. 

Popsugar Fitness: A ton of different cardio workouts as well as beginning strength training and shorter ab specific workouts. 

Blogilates: The cute Cassie is an upbeat instructor and she has videos for body-specific workouts, high intensity workouts, as well as a stretching series. 

BeFit: Everything from 10 minute workouts to yoga and longer HIIT workouts. 

The Live Fit Girl: She uses basic equipment (like most of the things in this post) for killer pilates workouts. 

Health & Fitness Apps

Sworkit: all types of workouts that you can do anywhere. They have stretching, yoga, cardio, and strength workouts and include videos so you can follow along. 

Couch 2 5k: This popular program helps prep you for a 5k starting from square 1! 30 minutes per day, 3 days a week for just 8 weeks and you will be running your first 5k! 

Pocket Yoga: take your yoga practice anywhere. 

Headspace: Not a workout app, but great for your health! Headspace helps you learn to calm your mind and meditate in a super simple way. 

Nike Training Club: NTC is one of the OG fitness apps. It has a ton of different workouts created by trainers with a timer and video all in one. 

Interested in nutrition tips that go with your busy lifestyle?? Download your FREE healthy mama toolkit below!