These foods may soothe your belly or emotions in the moment, but they usually lead to a blood sugar crash and wonky cortisol levels. While feeding yourself well-balanced meals and snacks spaced regularly throughout the day can help promote more stable eating patterns, sometimes you have a really bad day and those energy balls you made from a vegan Pinterest recipe just aren't going to cut it.

Instead of fighting it, try the quantity over calories game plan, aka the Volumetrics approach to eating. Volumetrics emphasizes feeling full on fewer calories by including lots of foods that are high in volume but low in energy calories , so you can eat more of them.

With that method in mind, here's what to eat when portion control is just not gonna happen:. You can have 45 pistachios in a one-ounce serving compared to 22 almonds and all that shelling gives your hands something to do, which can slow down the mindless overeating.

Also great: The combo of protein, healthy fat, and fiber will keep you full and promote stable blood sugar. Popcorn is great because it takes a long time to eat and you can eat a lot of it. A 3-cup serving of air-popped popcorn will only set you back about calories while also providing 3 grams each of fiber and protein.

If you want to make it without an air popper, put 2 tablespoons of kernels in a brown paper lunch bag, fold the top over a few times, and microwave in one-minute intervals until the popping slows down.

Shake in your favorite spices and enjoy. Try one of these healthy popcorn recipes with tricked-out toppings. A one-cup serving of this superfruit packs in 4 grams of filling fiber. Since they're small, they'll take a long time to eat. You'll also get a powerful antioxidant punch, which is key to boosting brain function and fighting cortisol-induced or stress-related inflammation.

Sure, baby carrots with hummus is a great snack, but why not change things up by enjoying sliced cucumber or peppers and salsa, which is much lower in calories but still provides a satisfying crunch and even bigger flavor.

Plus, the water in the veggies helps you stay hydrated, which is super important, as mild dehydration can sometimes be mistaken for hunger.

Frozen edamame pods are easy to thaw in the microwave. Similar to pistachios, shelling the pods keeps your hands occupied. Also called "zoodles," spiralized zucchini makes a great stand-in for spaghetti when you want to lose yourself in a vat of pasta.

A medium zucchini has about 30 calories and 2 grams each of protein and fiber, plus almost half of your daily vitamin C needs.

Vitamin C can be helpful for counteracting the effects of the stress hormone cortisol thanks to its antioxidant activity , perfect for when you can't get out of the stress-eating spiral. You can also enjoy them raw and tossed in with greens to add volume to a salad.

Peeling an orange requires both hands and some attention, making it a great option when you need to slow the heck down before you have another cookie. A navel orange contains about 75 calories, 3 grams of fiber, and, naturally, more than percent of your daily vitamin C.

If you'd prefer the option to eat multiple pieces of fruit, clementines or mandarins also work just as well, and you'll reap similar benefits.

When you want something crunchy that also provides actual nutrition, kale chips are a great option. You can make your own by massaging a few cups of kale with a teaspoon of olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt and then roasting at °F until crispy.

Try dehydrated vegetable chips such as kale, sugar snap peas, beets, string beans, and carrots in place of potato chips. Veggie chips are an excellent source of fiber and vitamins.

Craving something sweet? Choose fresh or frozen fruits, which are high in vitamins, fiber, and antioxidants. They taste delicious on their own and in blended smoothies.

Mix fresh or frozen fruits with non-fat Greek yogurt or low-fat cottage cheese for a satisfying snack or meal side. These snacks are rich in protein, calcium, and vitamins. Whole grains such as whole wheat crackers, whole wheat bread, pasta, brown rice, or quinoa are good sources of fiber and B vitamins.

Keep fresh or frozen vegetables on hand. Carrots, celery, cucumbers, and cherry tomatoes with hummus, salsa, or guacamole make excellent snacks. They are packed with vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants. Remember to stay hydrated , which can help you feel less hungry. Aim for at least 6 to 8 cups ounces of fluid per day.

The best liquids to drink are water, flavored sparkling water, unsweetened iced tea, and seltzer water.

Doing so is a great way to control your portions and eat mindfully. Try dehydrated vegetable chips such as kale, sugar snap peas, beets, string beans, and carrots in place of potato chips. Veggie chips are an excellent source of fiber and vitamins. Craving something sweet? Choose fresh or frozen fruits, which are high in vitamins, fiber, and antioxidants.

They taste delicious on their own and in blended smoothies. Mix fresh or frozen fruits with non-fat Greek yogurt or low-fat cottage cheese for a satisfying snack or meal side.

These snacks are rich in protein, calcium, and vitamins. Whole grains such as whole wheat crackers, whole wheat bread, pasta, brown rice, or quinoa are good sources of fiber and B vitamins. You can have 45 pistachios in a one-ounce serving compared to 22 almonds and all that shelling gives your hands something to do, which can slow down the mindless overeating.

Also great: The combo of protein, healthy fat, and fiber will keep you full and promote stable blood sugar. Popcorn is great because it takes a long time to eat and you can eat a lot of it. A 3-cup serving of air-popped popcorn will only set you back about calories while also providing 3 grams each of fiber and protein.

If you want to make it without an air popper, put 2 tablespoons of kernels in a brown paper lunch bag, fold the top over a few times, and microwave in one-minute intervals until the popping slows down. Shake in your favorite spices and enjoy.

Try one of these healthy popcorn recipes with tricked-out toppings. A one-cup serving of this superfruit packs in 4 grams of filling fiber. Since they're small, they'll take a long time to eat. You'll also get a powerful antioxidant punch, which is key to boosting brain function and fighting cortisol-induced or stress-related inflammation.

Sure, baby carrots with hummus is a great snack, but why not change things up by enjoying sliced cucumber or peppers and salsa, which is much lower in calories but still provides a satisfying crunch and even bigger flavor.

Plus, the water in the veggies helps you stay hydrated, which is super important, as mild dehydration can sometimes be mistaken for hunger. Frozen edamame pods are easy to thaw in the microwave.

Similar to pistachios, shelling the pods keeps your hands occupied. Also called "zoodles," spiralized zucchini makes a great stand-in for spaghetti when you want to lose yourself in a vat of pasta.

A medium zucchini has about 30 calories and 2 grams each of protein and fiber, plus almost half of your daily vitamin C needs. Vitamin C can be helpful for counteracting the effects of the stress hormone cortisol thanks to its antioxidant activity , perfect for when you can't get out of the stress-eating spiral.

You can also enjoy them raw and tossed in with greens to add volume to a salad. Understanding if and how hungry you are is the second. Dr Michelle May, author of the Eat What You Love: Love What You Eat book series suggests the use of The Hunger and Fullness Scale as a helpful tool to discern your level of hunger.

The Hunger and Fullness Scale ranges from 1 to When your hunger is a level 1, you are in dangerous territory. You are at high risk for snacking excessively because you are so hungry you could eat a horse! At this stage you might want to take a few bites and then pause before eating more.

On the other end of the scale, a level 10 means that you are so full that you are in pain and feel sick. Feeling satisfied and comfortable is a level 5. At this point, you cannot feel your stomach at all, and you no longer feel the hunger cues.

TIP 2: The ideal time to eat is when you are between a 2 and a 3 on the hunger scale. At this stage you are significantly hungry, so food will be pleasurable and satisfying, but not so hungry that you feel the urge to overeat.

If you still want to snack when you are at a 5 or higher, you know that something other than physical hunger triggered it. Now that you have this insight, Dr May suggests the following three options in her book Eat What You Love Love What You Eat: A Mindful Eating Program To Break Your Eat-Repent Repeat Cycle :.

Here is a head start on some of the most common physical and emotional needs that can trigger the urge to snack. Try ruling these out before reaching for food. Stress and boredom are only two of the many emotional needs for snacking. Loneliness, worry, anger, shame, body dissatisfaction are among many others.

Some of these feelings are more severe than others and might need professional attention. As a student you have access to a diverse array of health services on campus. Have a look at the list of resources below for some suggestions.

To sum up, dear Stress Eater, when you feel like snacking again, instead of automatically wandering to the kitchen, make a conscious choice to eat anyway, redirect your attention, or meet your true needs.

Try not to get trapped into thinking you have to stop snacking right away and completely. Instead, try to think of it in terms of making a step, any step towards curbing this habit.

Over time practicing new responses will help your habits lose their usual appeal and new responses will become more natural. Please note: the suggestions in this article are not intended to replace professional care for individuals with diagnosable eating disorders, such as anorexia, bulimia or binge eating disorder.

If your difficulties with food are longstanding, are causing you severe distress, or are interfering with your ability to lead a functional life, please consider seeking medical care and psychological counselling for your concern.

Written by Maddalena Maddi Genovese Counselling and Clinical Services Satellite Psychologist for the Faculty of Science and edited by and edited by Suman Varghese Counselling and Clinical Services Satellite Psychologist for the Faculty of Arts and FGSR.

Dear Maddi… welcomes submissions from students at the University of Alberta! Read more articles and submit your question online. Signed, Stress Eater Dear Stress Eater, thank you for your letter.

You can start with two very simple questions whenever you get the urge: Am I hungry? How hungry am I? Now that you have this insight, Dr May suggests the following three options in her book Eat What You Love Love What You Eat: A Mindful Eating Program To Break Your Eat-Repent Repeat Cycle : Eat anyway.

Even people who eat instinctively sometimes snack when they are not physically hungry.