One of the signs of disordered eating is skipping meals. Maybe you’ve heard of intermittent fasting and thought, “I already do that!” Going without food, whether it’s intentional or not, is also another form of emotional eating.
If you’re feeling stressed to the point of not eating then your body is lacking the energy it needs for living.
Stress eating includes under-eating because you might not have much of an appetite when there’s a deadline looming, you’re running late to an appointment, or your kids are literally running circles around you. But you still need to eat.
And what happens if you don’t eat? You get a headache. You get tired. You get angry. You die.
That might seem a little extreme, but the truth is of all the have-to-do’s on your to-do list eating should be a top priority. Not only will it give you the energy you need for the day’s activities, it will also prevent later binging episodes that send you shame-spiraling.
This is why we frequently say “eating something is better than nothing.” Because your feelings are valid and so is your need for food, especially when you’re stressed.