stress eaters unite

reviews & resources

If stress eaters were to unite, it would be one BIG convention… 

50% of us eat when stressed. While this behaviour is normal (food – like wine, music or a hug – is comforting) it can become a nasty habit that not only adds to one’s stress level but causes weight gain and malnutrition. When I was asked to review the new book, The Stress Eater Diet, I jumped at the chance.  Stress eating is something that affects many women and is a common topic when discussing weight management with my personal training clients.

For the record, let’s distinguish, as the book does, between stress eating and binge eating disorder.  Stress eating is normal behaviour while binge eating disorder, where the binger feels out of control and has “episodes” of binging which may be as difficult to recall as a drunken haze, is a psychological condition usually requiring treatment and/or counseling.  If you feel you may be suffering from binge eating disorder, please contact the National Eating Disorder Information Centre or Sheena’s Place, for those located in the Toronto area.

Now that we’ve got the preamble out of the way, let me say that the Stress Eater Diet is definitely a worthwhile read.  The authors supply study after study to back up their claim.  That claim, in a nutshell, is that stress eating is a cycle of fatigue, malnutrition, weight gain and stress best broken by mindful eating, careful nutrition, a diet of serotonin-rich foods and an active lifestyle.  Hard to argue with that thesis.

The “Diet” in question is a 4-week program of reduced carbohydrates and foods rich in fiber and healthy fats.  While I am generally wary of low-carbohydrate plans, the Stress Eater Diet is a short-term plan designed to wean the stress-eater off of the high-carbohydrate binge foods usually consumed during times of weakness.  The diet does include plenty of low-fat dairy products and re-introduces more of the missing carbohydrates as the four weeks progress.

In addition to sound nutritional guidance, the Stress Eater Diet is a great resource for those wishing to reduce the stress that is causing all of that eating in the first place.  The authors advocate meditation, deep breathing, yoga and exercise of any and every kind possible in the stress eater’s search for peace.  As a fitness professional, I found it particularly refreshing to read a diet book that not only prescribed exercise but outlined when to exercise, what types of exercise to do and how to schedule that exercise into your 4-week diet plan.  Click here for more information about cardiovascular exercise and which types of exercise are best for burning fat.

For a bit more information on the Stress Eater Diet or to access free downloadable resources, please visit http://www.stresseaterdiet.com .

To purchase the Stress Eater Diet, visit Amazon.

About the Authors:

Robert Posner, MD
Robert Posner, M.D. is a board certified internal medicine physician and has been in private practice in the Northern Virginia area for over 20 years. Dr. Posner developed the Serotonin-Plus Weight Loss Program, Washington, D.C.’s largest medically supervised weight loss/weight management program as a result of his ground breaking research into the effects of serotonin on weight loss.

Learn more about Robert at http://www.stresseaterdiet.com.

Linda Hlivka
With over 20 years of experience, Ms. Hlivka has been the nutritionist for the Serotonin-Plus Weight Loss Program for almost 6 years. Linda graduated from Douglass College, Rutgers University with a B.S. in Human Nutrition and Foods and from Regis University with an M.B.A. Early in her career, she worked as a dietician/nutritionist at several NJ hospitals. She has a passion for weight control as she had struggled with weight during her life and ultimately has succeeded for many years to control hers.

Learn more about Linda at http://www.stresseaterdiet.com.