Stress and Nutrition
Overindulgence and Stress Management
Hello and happy Friday. Today we’re going to break down a question from a reader, my response, and analysis of the overarching topic. The question:
Summary: The individual is eating to compensate for stress and often eating too much when in social environments. The actual problem - not being able to hit weight loss goals. I really like this question because the reader even mentioned 3 great topics at the end: overeating, stress management, and sticking to a diet. This reader also mentioned having no vices. This is a great start. So let’s dive in.
I’d like to first address some context because it helps reduce the problem as an individual - you are most certainly not alone. This is widespread. So let’s look at some context in the world of weight management. Principally Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly, 2 of the largest providers of GLP-1 agonists on the market today. Let’s check in on the stock (lol, yes I am weaving in stock charts to a health post, and NO, this is not financial advice):
If you have been under a rock the last 3-4 years, GLP-1 agonists (glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists) are a class of medications primarily used to manage type 2 diabetes that have become extremely popular. They mimic the action of the naturally occurring hormone GLP-1, which plays a major role in regulating blood sugar levels. By activating GLP-1 receptors in the body, these medications help:
Stimulate the pancreas to release insulin in response to high blood glucose levels.
Reduce the secretion of glucagon (hormone that raises blood sugar levels).
Delay the rate at which food leaves the stomach leading to a more gradual absorption of glucose.
Increase feelings of fullness (satiety) - primarily for weight loss.
The popularity as evidenced by my crude financial evaluation of NVO 0.00%↑ and LLY 0.00%↑ is purely to show weight management is obviously a big deal in the U.S. currently, and looking forward. If we assume a stock just represents the present [discounted] value of expected future returns, this overall outlook is what concerns me.
Of course, as I’ve said from day 1, I would much rather lose weight from (natural) methods involving eating a clean, high protein diet and exercising regularly. Lest we forget some of the side effects reported from GLP-1 agonists, at least in the short term (who knows what the long term will be):
Gastrointestinal issues: Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea are common side effects, especially when starting the medication.
Risk of pancreatitis: Although rare, a potential risk of developing inflammation of the pancreas.
And I think that’s significant. In this new world we live in where you can literally take a pill to lose weight, it’s important to recognize the “old fashioned” methods are still viable - and arguably better for the larger population.
Side note on GLP-1 Agonists - if you are 200 pounds overweight and the choice is between dying of heart disease in 5 years or taking a shot, the shot is probably a good idea. If you are 25 years old and 15 pounds overweight, I absolutely would not take the shot. Does that makes sense? Let’s use some common sense people. I reference the significance of fighting the 4 Horsemen (leading causes of death in America), primarily caused by metabolic syndrome, which of course would heavily benefit from weight loss.
But back to the point - reduce the distractions. Use what’s in our control and has been in our control for literally thousands of years. Move more, eat less (oversimplified).
The first point to address from the original question - eating for stress management. This one is harder for me to empathize with. When I’m massively stressed the last thing I want to do is eat. But I can understand how it’s problematic. It becomes cyclic!
A short story: you become stressed from [insert life event] → you consume some unhealthy food that makes you feel good for 5 minutes → this negatively impacts your sleep → negatively impacted sleep hurts your next training session → poor sleep and poor training leads to more stress → [insert stressful life event] happens → you eat some unhealthy food that makes you feel good for 5 minutes.
It’s a horrific cycle that must be broken. By staying in this cycle - you enable a negative flywheel towards disaster. Note, this is not saying don’t enjoy a milkshake on the weekend - this is repeated overindulgence to sooth a stressor or repeating stressors.
One thing that has always helped me is recognizing that consistent poor nutrition will absolutely wreck my sleep and my physical training. These are pretty much at the top of my priorities, so anything that gets in the way of this:
is going to be cut very rapidly. When it comes to fighting complacency, I shared these posts on twitter/X:
That is Step 1: recognizing that what you are doing is literally killing you. Feeding the demon of metabolic syndrome, poor sleep, and poor training is a death sentence in the long term. And although hyperbolic, what we do now sets the tone for our next 50+ years. So we must act accordingly.
The next point ties in both over-eating and going out to eat - regardless of what the social setting is. Like the individual who asked the question - I get the pressure to grab lunch with the boys. I am not saying don’t be social. But what’s keeping you from just bringing your own food? Or eat before hand / after and just hang with them anyway at lunch? Maybe I have lower EQ than I think, but no one has ever called me out for not ordering food at lunch - there’s plenty of ways around this - “I already ate”, “I’m not hungry”, etc. Pretty much anything that doesn’t insult the people around you. DO NOT say “I’m not eating this garbage food” (lol) right as everyone around you orders said garbage food.
Anyway, this is part of a larger problem - overeating as a result of social settings throughout the week. Lunch is one issue, but simple to cover. Meal prep, eat elsewhere, or just order healthier food, the choice is yours.
That leads into weekend social activities. I have no problem ordering an “unhealthy” meal on a date or going out with friends. The most unhealthy I eat is probably a burger and shake or consuming large amounts of bread with a steak at a restaurant. But we know there are ways to mitigate. You don’t have to order the same thing as everyone else. You don’t even have to order! But we’re all adults. We can make our own decisions. So do not be pressured by people around you to do the same, especially when your situation is vastly different than theirs.
The summary: ENJOY GOING OUT WITH PEOPLE. I regularly go out with friends or on dates. I maintain my weight and body fat percentage. I just choose the moments where I indulge in something more calorie dense.
Now we’ll address the final point - stress management as a whole.
My actual answer to that point is working on two things:
Removing food as a vice for stress management: food is not a great vice. I think it is fleeting, and will make the cycle continue (ie you eat unhealthy to deal with stress. You then don't feel great the next day, impacts your sleep, you get MORE stressed, and repeat the cycle).
Using appropriate methods to manage stress. I’ve noticed when my training volume is higher, I stress less. But it’s not just “more volume”, it’s using a blend that works for me: 3x per week strength (with many sets to failure/max effort, higher reps) 1-2x high intensity sessions - this is usually 1x metcon, 1x intervals (sprints or airbike), and another 2-4 steady state sessions (run, walk, hike, cycle).
The bottom line is we have to BREAK THE CYCLE. What this means is find what works for you. The next time you feel stressed, walk away somewhere quiet and do a 10 minute NSDR session. Link here:
Of course, you can do NSDR at any time. I like to find a few minutes around lunch time. It’s particularly helpful at “reinvigorating” your day.
A few other practices to utilize:
A a daily accomplishment log - at the end of the day, this consists of writing the biggest accomplishment you had for the day, and 2 things you did to make progress on a problem or problems you’re facing
Gratitude - optional, but just writing down 3 things you’re grateful for in the morning. This one is interesting for me, and is less so about what I’m actually writing, and more so the act of becoming focused on the act of writing something. Hence why I wrote about the power of writing here.
Eating primarily whole foods. Anything processed, using seed oils and/or refined sugars is inherently inflammatory. This includes alcohol. Consider reducing or cutting alcohol and the majority of processed foods you consume.
As already discussed - EXERCISE + PHYSICAL FITNESS. This includes strength training 2-5x per week, walking daily, steady state conditioning 2-4x per week, and 1x per week of high intensity work or a METCON.
Heat and Cold Therapy - There is a TON of evidence around the use of both hot and cold therapy (sauna and cold plunges / showers) for stress management. My preferred method is to sauna at lunch and go straight into a cold shower after. You could just as easily hop in a cold shower right when you wake up for a few minutes. Get used to being uncomfortable. Cold showers / exposure also create an above baseline dopamine surge that lasts for hours. Use accordingly
Non-Sleep Deep Rest - already stated above. Great for reinvigorating your day, but it is also a great tool for helping you fall asleep and stay asleep throughout the night.
Prayer. If you are not religious you can skip this part. But I believe the majority of stress, worry, and anxiety is greater than simply a physiological response to external stressors. Pray for peace. Understand (in Christianity) our God is one of peace. And anything else is a result of Satan.
Philippians 4:4-7: 4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
John 14:25-27: 25 “All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
Read The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis
Andrew Huberman is coming around as well and speaks on it here:
One of Huberman’s tweets mentions the “Rest, Build, Pray” protocol, in any order. If you are striving for all three at different times throughout the day, there is little risk of failure.
SOCIAL SETTINGS - actually be with friends and family. Don’t stress yourself out about not being able to hang with them because you don’t want to eat a certain way. Just go out, choose the times to indulge and when to order the healthier option, or just not eat at that time
Sleeping Well - there’s a LOT to cover here. But a few primary ways to reduce stress by improving sleep:
3/2/1 rule: 3 hours before bed - no alcohol or heavy meals. 2 hours before bed - avoid work, and 1 hour before bed - avoid blue light and screen time on ANY device. You are welcome to push your last meal even earlier in the day. I’ve found a near linear relationship between my sleep score and how much time there is between my last meal/food and going to bed (bigger gap is better).
Moderate stimulant use - experiment where you should have a hard cut-off for stimulants like caffeine and nicotine. Our bodies are all different. Some people can have coffee at 6pm and sleep very well. I on the other hand need to stop drinking caffeine past 12pm. Recognize the half life of caffeine is about 6 hours. So if you drink a red bull at 3pm, when you go to bed at 9pm, you have the equivalent of HALF A RED BULL in your system. Same applies for nicotine. Experiment when you should have a hard stop. For me that’s around 3pm.
Establishing a consistent “wind down routine”. This could be 2 hours before bed - you stop responding to work messages, tell yourself anything work related can be solved in the morning, and simple physical actions, like brushing your teeth, washing your face, a hot shower, NSDR, sex, reading, making caffeine free tea, and/or anything else you want to do that doesn’t involve high stress, screen time, or work.
Regulating temperature. At least an hour before bed, have your bedroom climate start to drop in temperature. I like to sleep at 66 degrees. But the generally accepted band for improving sleep is 60-69 degrees F. Additionally, an hour before bed I take 3g of glycine as it is associated with a reduction in core body temperature and widely recognized to improve the time it takes to fall asleep and stay asleep.
Sound and Light: Improve your sleep and night atmosphere. On top of no screen/device time at least 1 hour before bed, don’t have bright lights shining on you. Subtle, warm colors like orange and red are excellent. Dim the lights, and candlelight is even better. For sound, I like to sleep with a simple fan that makes a sound I like. There’s plenty of sound machines on Amazon as well. Or you could prefer silence. Some sleep with ear plugs. Do what works for you.
View both morning and evening sunlight (dawn and dusk) with your eyes, outside
Only incorporate a handful of these at a time. Trying to overload and attack everything at once is a recipe for failure. Habits are built slowly.
Final note - I thought this was hilarious.
There’s probably more, but the above have been working for me lately. Happy Friday!
If you have any questions feel free to reach out on IG or drop a comment below.
Cheers.
APPENDIX
Things aren’t that serious. Maybe you’re just literally in a bad state (sorry Indiana). Have fun this weekend, get a pump, MOVE YOUR BODY. Talk to girls (or your lover). AND HAPPY FRIDAY.
DISCLAIMER
This is not Legal, Medical, or Financial advice. Please consult a medical professional before starting any workout program, diet plan, or supplement protocol.
Could you talk a bit about how to maintain healthy rhythms with the time change? It's very disruptive to my schedule when seeing the sunset means bedtime and then suddenly it's still 3 or 4 hours til bedtime