🎄 Stress Eating Before Christmas? Read This.

Here’s some real talk as we are approaching Christmas Day…

Good news: Stress eating isn’t a lack of discipline. It’s biology.

Bad news: Holiday stress ramps up cortisol… which ramps up cravings.

More good news: You can interrupt the cycle before you hit the cookies like a reindeer on a mission.

Why holiday stress cravings hit harder:

• Cortisol goes up → ghrelin rises (“feed me”), even if you just ate

• Cortisol goes up → leptin drops (“I’m full”), so satisfaction is harder

• Your brain wants fast comfort + dopamine → hello, Christmas treats

​No wonder willpower feels useless this time of year.

How to tell it’s stress (not hunger):

• You want specific foods (cookies, chocolate, salty stuff)

• You can’t stop thinking about it

• You’re tense, drained, or overwhelmed — not actually hungry

​​​3 quick ways to break the holiday stress-eating loop:

1️⃣ Pause for 10 seconds.

Ask: “Hungry… or stressed/tired/overloaded?” That micro-pause = power.

2️⃣ Do something different (2–5 minutes).

✔ Step outside

✔ Stretch or walk

✔ Do a tiny ‘reset’ task (wipe a counter, switch the laundry)

3️⃣ Still want the treat? Enjoy it.

Have a small amount with protein or fiber to soften the blood sugar spike — and savor it, guilt-free.

​🎁 Takeaway:

Recognize stress cravings → interrupt the loop → enjoy the holidays without feeling out of control.

P.S. If you’re a busy woman over 40 and you’re tired of starting over every time your schedule changes, and you’re ready to finally have a plan that works even when life feels chaotic…

Check out Fit + Fresh for FREE —it’s built to help busy women stay consistent with workouts, meals, and energy—without burning out or second-guessing every choice.