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Staying on track with nutrition during stressful times

If you struggle with sticking to your nutrition plan when life gets stressful, here are some tips and tricks to get you back on course.

Chase Morlock

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You’re finally doing it. You’re finally on the right track with your nutrition. You’ve found a plan that works great for you, is helping you hit your goals, and you’re actually sticking to it. But then… Stress hits. Work gets crazy, your household gets hit with sickness, or life throws something else your way, and quickly you find yourself resorting to stress eating.  Scientifically speaking, there are a lot of reasons why people stress eat. And while it might be common (I struggle with this as much as the next person!), it’s definitely not something we want to just accept as normal. We are the ones who have control over what we eat and drink, both in non-stressful times and in stressful times. And of course, fueling your body properly with nutritious foods will actually help your body to function better amidst the stress.

Stress can throw off your appetite and hunger cues, and dwindle motivation to eat well. In stressful times, the goal should be to keep nutrition simple and manageable without adding more stress around food. 

Here are some simple yet practical nutrition tips that can help you stay on track with nutrition during those times when life gets crazy.

1. Focus on Protein First

Protein helps maintain muscle and supports overall recovery, especially when stress levels are high. Prioritizing protein will help you feel satiated, so you won’t find yourself as tempted to reach for comfort foods that have little to no nutritional value.

  • Keep it simple: rotisserie chicken, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, protein shakes, hard-boiled eggs, beans.

  • Even if meals are small, try to get 20–30g of protein in each. Here’s a super informative blog about protein, written by one of our Rise coaches.

2. Don’t Worry About “Perfect” Meals

When you’re already stressed out, the idea of spending time cooking in the kitchen can feel overwhelming. But that doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice nutrition! There are lots of great options for foods that are both convenient and nutritious. A few ideas for quick, ready-to-go meals:

  • Pre-made salads with added protein (like chicken or steak, which could quickly be cooked in a pan on the stove)

  • Frozen meals with a decent protein and veggie balance, or mix & match a frozen protein and a frozen veggie 

  • Snack plates with deli meat, cheese, fruit, and nuts

3. Keep Healthy Snacks Within Reach

Stress often leads to mindless snacking, especially on snacks that are often not very healthy. Instead, grab a bowl and portion out some healthier snacks, then let yourself enjoy! Here are some great options to have on hand:

  • Mixed nuts and dried, unsweetened fruit

  • Protein bars

  • Beef jerky

  • Greek yogurt with berries 

  • Apples with nut butter

4. Stay Hydrated

Being dehydrated can affect your energy and lead to more intense cravings. Keeping a water bottle with you all day is the secret to success when it comes to staying hydrated. If water feels too “boring”, try adding in electrolyte packets every now and then, or mixing in fresh fruit (we love fresh cucumber and mint water!) The goal is to aim for half your body weight in ounces of water per day.

5. Some Nutrition is Better Than None

If meals aren’t balanced or you are relying on takeout more often than you’d like, don’t beat yourself up. Instead, choose one area of nutrition that you can really focus on and just start there. Some examples could be:

  • Waking up 10 minutes earlier to prepare a protein-rich breakfast

  • Packing several healthy snacks for your day so when you get hungry, you can easily reach for something nutritious

  • Find an easy slow cooker recipe or two that you can easily whip up in the morning, so a healthy dinner is ready for you in the evening

6. Meal Prep

If you’re up for it, meal prepping a few staple items like protein or veggies makes it easier to throw together quick meals during the week. Of course, frozen or pre-cooked options work great, too. Here are a couple quick and easy things you could meal prep in large batches for your week:

  • Overnight protein oats

  • Egg bake

  • Wash and cut up fruit and veggies

  • Grilled or baked chicken or other protein (which you can serve with a variety of sauces throughout the week to switch things up)

  • Brown rice, potatoes, veggies to serve with your protein  

7. Prioritize Sleep and Rest

Yes, sleep does earn a spot on this list of nutrition tips, because it really has a huge effect on our health. Poor sleep makes it harder to regulate hunger and cravings, and when that’s coupled with high stress and elevated cortisol levels, your body can feel like it’s out of whack. 

Prioritizing 7-9 hours of sleep will have a massive impact on your mental and physical well-being, especially during stressful periods. If you’re able, do your best to put away devices or screens at least one hour before bed to ensure that the sleep you’re getting is high quality rest. Bonus: Reading a book before bed instead of scrolling on your phone will also help you unwind and destress!

Like with all things regarding health, it’s so much more important to focus on consistency than perfection when it comes to nutrition during stressful periods. Try your best to fuel your body with proper foods, but don’t add more stress to your plate if you fall short sometimes. Take a breath, you’ve got this. If you’d like to chat more with our team about nutrition and how to find a plan that fits your lifestyle and goals, we’d love to sit down with you. You can schedule a free fitness consultation here to get started.