I've talked about when I'm stressed I get sick. Well, it's gotten to a point where I can't eat at all and that's not good. I have to FORCE myself to eat. And my choices aren't the best. Like I had pizza for breakfast and a chicken leg for lunch. Any advice on how to deal with this stress in a better way?

Why force yourself to eat a chicken leg and a pizza?

Best way I've found to deal with stress is rigourous exercise

Do you have any other food options?

((((((Hugs)))))))

This is where having a daily routine and eating plan can help immensely. It is a lot more work for my stress eating to default junk when every single day I eat approximately the same stuff, all of it healthy.

Limiting my choices and just going on nutritional autopilot is the absolutely safest for me, because if I start adjusting my intake or food type toward comfort food as opposed to normal food, and that's a nasty road!

Exercise is a great way to deal with stress.

Regardless of how you deal with it, you need to figure out how to deal with it.

Stress and in particular chronic stress is asolutely terible for your health. Use this opportunity you have as you transform your body to transform your mind.

The people you surround yourself and the information you feed your mind are the primary things that will change you or keep you the same.

Are you saying that it is the not eating that makes you sick, or stress in general? Because I agree there is not much point in FORCING yourself to eat junk. Most of us who eat junk when we are stressed do so because our go to stress reaction is "eat eat eat eat eat eat and what ever is closest and whatever is easiest and I deserve junk when I am going through all this ****".

So are you doing it because you think any food is better than no food, or because when you are stressed you feel that only junk food will sit, or because you really WANT pizza and chicken and are using stress as an excuse to allow it.

Take a moment to honestly figure out how you get from A to B and you will probably clue yourself in to what some alternative solutions might be.

i eat because if I don't eat, then I probably WON'T. I hadn't eaten anything. I can't bring myself to eat, but I know that I have to eat something, especially if I'd not eaten anything, you know? So i grab the closest thing that will sustain me for a while. It's not because of a craving, it's just that if I don't eat something I won't eat anything at all.

If stress makes you sick and your appetite disappears as a consequence, and to feed yourself you eat that which you fancy the most, and the comfort food you choose is not healthy, then you will end up feeling sicker and even more stressed. Try to make fruit salad and eat that when you feel stressed out, or munch a carrot. Your stomach and your liver will be thankful. Then, deal with the stress in your life as what it is, and not as if it were hunger.
Good luck!!!!

Well, if you're not craving anything, then it's the perfect time to eat completely on plan and only the good stuff. Try not to grab the closest thing next to you. Maybe it might take your mind off things to prepare a meal. Work out. Believe me, it helps.

It just doesn't make sense to eat junk if you don't really have an appetite.

Not eating anything at all for one day wont hurt you. At some point it will but not for a day or so for sure.

If you have to force yourself, you can take the time to force something good. Or else there is something else going on. (stress induced self sabotage? Nobody here can go beyond guessing)

At the very least stock up with a high quality protein powder or pre made protein shake. They arent the best food in the world but they arent the worst and then you will have something in your pantry that is the fastest thing anyone could possibly make. If you still find yourself reaching for crap in times of stress then you know there is something else going on besides merely the collision of stress and convenience.

I have to agree with this, and the others whose sentiments were similar.

I believe I'm correct in that you live with your parents, correct? Do they not help you by keeping healthy food around? Make it to where "the closest thing" is something that will keep you on plan. I'm lazy as **** when it comes to food -- I like quick and easy! Lean Cuisines and Healthy Choice meals are great for lunches, and they're low in calories: just pop 'em in the microwave for a few minutes and you're good to go.

I eat cereal most mornings, but I also keep frozen whole grain waffles in the freeze and bread on hand. Peanut butter and banana waffles/toast have been my go-to for breakfast because it's more nutritious than syrup/butter/jelly. Also, measure out a tablespoon of peanut butter and actually look at how much it is -- you'll be surprised that sometimes you don't even need the full 2-tablespoon serving to satisfy your needs!

So that's all you gotta do -- change what the "closest thing" you grab is. Instead of a slice of pizza, throw together a sandwich. Instead of a chicken leg (is it a fried chicken leg or a grilled/baked one?), get a salad or a piece of fruit or some raw veggies. If you're in a "something is better than nothing" mood, at least make that something worth your while!

Wow. I like the way you talk. Direct, on point and intellgent.

I agree with other posters, stay away from junk food, why compromise your diet if you're not even craving anything? Keep healthy snacks close to you and when meal time arrives stick to your plan. When dealing with stress you first need to figure out what's causing you to be stressed in the first place. Family obligations, deadlines for work? Detect the underline problem and deal with it in a constructive, productive way.

I say go with the flow. These things usually pass. I enjoyed my last stress induced fast. The stress, not so much. The ability to go for a week with little food and losing a few pounds made me happy. I lived on meal replacement shakes for energy, because that was about all I could get down.