Stress and Eating with Brenda Crawford-Clark, MPH, MS

We all know that a frazzled mind can conjure cravings for comfort food in some and kill the appetite in others. And now we hear that stress can affect the amount of fat we produce and the shape we are in. On Oct. 20, 2005 we discussed all of this, plus how to get off the food/stress carousel, with Brenda Crawford-Clark, MPH, MS, author of Body Sense Balancing Your Weight and Emotions.

If you have questions about your health, you should consult your personal physician. This event is meant for informational purposes only.

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MODERATOR: Welcome to WebMD University: "Letting Go." Your instructor today is Brenda Crawford-Clark, MPH, MS.

Thank you for joining us, Brenda. Before we get started with our questions, why don't you tell us what led you to focus on the connection between weight and emotions in your career, and then writing Body Sense: Balancing Your Weight and Emotions.

CRAWFORD-CLARK: Well, I've been listening to people about problems they have, and many times their emotional issues are tied directly to their weight. I found that you can't treat the emotional issues without figuring out what caused the weight issues, or why someone can't lose weight who's tried so many awful no-carb, no-sugar no-just-about-everything diets.

And so I thought everyone would benefit from my sharing what I've learned over the years. That weight issues are often not about dieting at all -- almost never about willpower -- because people who've been on a diet know they've had more willpower than most people.

So Body Sense, my book, just takes people through the same path they would take if they were in a one-on-one session with me. We connect the emotions, help them through that, find out what use food has had in their life, and finally, give them the tools for a steady long-term change to keep the weight off.

MODERATOR: How does our emotional state affect the way we eat?

CRAWFORD-CLARK: Wow! I was eating a snack right before I started to talk with you today. Do you ever notice reaching for food when you're under stress or forgetting to eat when you're under stress?

Food is used to alter our emotions and almost everyone uses it at some time in their life. Cookies can really make you feel better. Other foods help people push down anger and can actually give someone a sense of control or power.

Once you do eat the food it triggers neurotransmitter actions that actually can send a calming message or an empowering message or satisfied signal to your body. That's why the whole weight issue is so much more complex than counting calories or carbs.