Changes in eating habits can happen in two ways.  One way is to eat more and the other is to stop eating.

1.  Stress Eating:  I am a stress eater.  Under stress, you never crave vegetables or healthy foods.  It is comfort foods you want: sweet, salty, greasy, rich.

When I was going though my greatest stress, there were a couple of times when there was nothing sweet to eat in the house.  I can remember melting some butter, putting brown sugar and flour in it and standing over the stove, eating it right out of the pot! – and slavering as I was doing it! 

Another time, I got a phone call to say that my nineteen year old son had just become a father.  I had no idea that his ex girlfriend was pregnant.  I hung up the phone and went straight to the fridge.  My automatic response was to seek comfort through food.  Anyone identify with that?

What happens to stress eaters?  They gain weight – which lowers their self-esteem and increases their stress even more!

This is the reason why diets don’t work.  You can take the weight off, but unless you have resolved the underlying issue that caused you to put the weight on in the first place, it will come right back on; usually with interest!

2.  Anorexia:  Some people stop eating when they are stressed (sometimes I wish that I had that problem). 

What are the consequences of not eating?  Increased fatigue, decreased resistance to disease, malnutrition, and, unless corrected in time,  death!  Anorexia is a serious problem, especially among young women.