So recently I started back at college full-time after taking a 3 year hiatus to work/travel. I really don't think I prepared myself for how much work it would be to go back to a full courseload.. and I have found these past 2 first weeks incredibly stressful and tiring.

I find that by the time I get home from class I'm so stressed with all the reading I have to do and homework thats due the next day that I have been mindlessly eating really unhealthy stuff. I need to be doing the opposite because my intention is to lose more weight and be healthier. I feel so comforted by food when I get home from school though that it's becoming a major issue for me. How do I come home and eat without seeing it as some big break and comfort from the day? I know even healthy food can taste good and be comforting, but as someone who has trouble with food and binge eating, is it a wise thing to seek food as a comfort at any time?

What is so comforting about food? Don't you get smears on the books? I'd say it's probably a better idea to figure that out and find something non-food to make into a 'stress habit' after class than play the "binge on celery" game, because celery isn't the same as a bag of chocolate no matter how you put it.

I think it's absolutely fine to take a study break to EAT DINNER or have a meal, but mindless snacking just makes college students fat and unhappy.

Have to agree with Krampus - it may be good for you to plan your meals and have them at regular times - that way you will know when you are actually physically hungry and it is not the stress kicking in - my work is very stressful at times and one of my best tools is to walk away from it for 20-30 mins - not only could it perhaps prevent the binge but gives me a much needed break from the work

Since you mention going home and being stressed there due to homework and reading to do—can you perhaps take care of said homework before going home, for instance by staying at the school library (where people are normally not allowed to bring food), and cramming as much reading as you can? So that you can then have a nice end-of-evening at home, no stress involved.

(Of course, this only works if there's nobody waiting for you at home. If you have a family to take care of first, then it makes things a little trickier.)

I am also attending fulltim college and working. I am also a huge binge eater if I am tired or had a long day. What I HAVE to do is NOT eat when watching TV or studying. I will easily lose track of how much I ate if I dont pay attention. So what I have to do is sit down to eat without any distractions. No computer, no books and no tv.

If I HAVE to study, I make sure everything is per-measured so I don't go over board (if I take a bag of chips with me, I can easily eat the whole damn bag without realizing it). At least with it measured, I can calculate how many calories I have eaten.

Another trick some gum. It keeps my mouth occupied while studying so I am less luckily to what to eat just for the sake of eating.

Pre-make everything ahead of time in small bags. It's a horrible use of plastic, but it is the ONLY thing that gets me through semesters with both work and school full time.

Pre-measure out oatmeal and brown sugar to throw in the microwave in the morning, pre-measure out veggies and fruit to snack on, get string cheese, pre-boil eggs that you can grab out of the fridge, cook a bunch of chicken at once and divide in to servings - etc, etc. The less time you have to spend thinking about food, the less stressed you'll be.

I stress eat too from work. I gained 10 lbs last January prepping for a conference and had to run out and buy new clothes right before it.

What helps me is either doing the work away from home (as someone mentioned above, stay on campus for a while after classes at the library) and consciously making a set dinner and trying not to snack before/after it. If I start snacking, it seems I can't stop. A meal can still be comforting and a break, but only if one can develop the self-discipline not to continue eating after it is done (I'm still working on this).

Gradphase...if you're worried about your use of plastic bags, consider using reusable tupperware-like containers, or you can always just wash the plastic bags and reuse them several times before they wear out.

My best advice when it comes to school-related stress is to EXERCISE. I transferred to a new university 2 years ago and spent the entire year stress eating and having mini breakdowns about how stressed I was. In the times that I spent worrying and being upset, I could have gone for a run or hit the elliptical and got myself some much-needed endorphins! Instead of turning to food, exercise is definitely my stress reliever of choice now.

Make sure you're eating at regular intervals throughout the day, too. Healthy, portable snacks are great to eat between classes. When I get too hungry, I'd probably eat anything that stands still long enough. Best of luck with your classes! Getting into a routine that works for you should help with some stress too.

Thanks everyone those are some great tips. Unfortunately I can't stay on campus much after my classes because I have a puppy I have to get home to take out.. but I do have a designated office study area and I rarely eat in there so its a good sacred space to just be stressed and study.

pinksparkles- do you have any ideas/suggestions for snacks that may work for me? I'm a vegetarian and so far I've tried taking fiber one bars with me or Luna bars.. also some grapes, cheese sticks or hummus&pretzels.. but always looking for more suggestions.

Those ideas sound pretty good to me! I normally eat wraps for lunch (you could make that vegetarian with hummus/cheese and veggies- also, one handed if you need to eat during class!). Nuts might be a good choice for some protein and healthy fats, too! If you normally start in the early mornings, you could try a breakfast smoothie with some protein powder during your commute- those tend to keep me full for a while.

It all depends on what you like to eat! I know I make poorer food choices when I'm both stressed AND hungry, so I try to keep healthy options around the house. If I don't have any junk around, I can't eat it!

I am still on vacation (school starts in the end of october), but I have had the same issue last year.
It helped me to go to the gym classes on campus right after my regular classes. I tend to eat less after exercises. Also, I always had an apple with me to eat before my ride home. If I had a snack after coming home, I wouldn't be able to stop munching most of the time.

Yes exercise has an incredible impact on weight. Even if it is two two hour sessions a week it will make a massive difference! It is also a stress buster! I recommend cheerleading, it is so fun, you make lots of friends and it focuses on cardio and strength! There are lots of classes you can join on campus, surely? And (since this is a weight loss forum) I should mention that cheerleading and any kind of exercise is for any size as long as you are committed!

I understand what you're going through! I'm a college student as well, and sometimes the isolation and weirdness of living in the college "bubble" can really get to you! take your doggie for extra long walks. is that relaxing to you?
I would strongly suggest checking out if your school rec center has some group fitness classes like weight lifting, zumba, cardio, kickboxing, whatever it be, and get into the habit of going. Just force yourself to show up, you can go in the back or to the side, whatever! That has helped me lose almost 40 lbs in college and I think the accountability if you say "I go to this class every Tuesday at___ o'clock" is really good to have!

Also "quest" bars are my favorite protein bars, 170 calories and a ton of fiber and protein. Vegetarian too I believe. Good luck! PM me if you ever want to talk about school stress/eating/food/anything!

^What they said.

Also, if you can find ways to avoid getting overly stressed about school, use them. Are there ways to conduct your reading and research more efficiently? Can you get acceptable grades on your assignments without spending quite so much time on them? This is what most successful graduate students seem to do. Their lives are still consumed by academic (and occasionally even intellectual) stuff, but they learn how to do things efficiently and not waste a lot of time on things that aren't going to affect whether and how they achieve their goals. I'm not suggesting you slack off, of course, just that you might find it helpful to figure out what will give you the biggest return on your time/energy investment and act accordingly. There would still be super-stressful periods, but learning how to manage your coursework more efficiently (if it's possible) would probably reduce your overall levels of stress and make it easier to make good decisions in other parts of your life.