The Vicious Cycle of Stress and Binge Eating
Stress plays a greater role in your eating habits than you might think. The stress hormone cortisol is often overlooked when it comes to your relationship with food, and has the potential to impact your eating habits, metabolism and digestion.
Cortisol, prepares your body to respond to immediate danger by increasing your heart rate, blood pressure, and blood glucose availability, thus providing energy for your muscles in a ‘fight or flight’ scenario. However, issues arise with prolonged activation of cortisol, which occurs when you consistently experience stress. Excessive cortisol can trigger a cascade of problems, including afternoon crashes, fatigue, anxiety, and sugar cravings.
Chronic stress also reduces your sensitivity to insulin, impairing your body’s effectiveness in processing blood glucose. As a result, managing blood glucose levels becomes challenging. Part of my work with clients involves teaching and supporting them in regulating their blood glucose through balanced eating. This approach optimises energy, improves sleep, regulates fat storage, and reduces cravings. However, the critical aspect of this work is addressing the mindset. Coaching clients to shift feelings of guilt and shame when they consume foods less helpful for blood glucose control is essential.
Negative thoughts about yourself and your food choices can trigger the stress response, releasing more cortisol from the adrenal glands. This leads to the liver producing additional glucose, some of which is converted to energy to react quickly to perceived threats. If this energy isn't used because the threat is merely a harmful thought, some of this glucose will be stored in your fat cells.
A remarkable study recently illustrated the physical impact of your thoughts on your physiology. Two groups consumed drinks with the same amount of sugar; one group knew they were consuming a sugary drink, while the other believed it was sugar-free. The group aware of the sugar content had a greater increase in blood glucose levels than the group who thought their drink was sugar-free, demonstrating how perception alone can influence your body’s physiological responses.
The diet and fitness industry emphasise calorie counting and restriction, but I have seen the benefits of a different approach with my clients. Focusing on the where, why, and how—within a framework of coaching, cognitive work, and evidence-based nutritional science is far more effective.
I cover this and much more in my upcoming book, about overcoming binge and emotional eating, which will be out later this year.
You can take your first steps to healing your relationship with food, by downloading my free guide Breaking the Cycle - Your First Steps to Healing Your Relationship with Food to kickstart your journey today
This invaluable resource will help you:
✔️Know when you’re really hungry and when you’re not
✔️Learn when to eat that’s best for you
✔️Know the best snacks to help you stop craving and feeling out of control