Here’s What Your Brain’s Really Up To When Stress Hijacks Your Health Goals
Have you ever found yourself wrist-deep in a bag of chips after a long, stressful day, even though you’d planned a healthy dinner?
Or maybe you’ve poured that glass of wine without conscious thought, telling yourself it’s “just to take the edge off,” but deep down you know it’s become a habit that’s derailing your health progress?
You’re not alone.
And no, it’s not about willpower.
It’s your brain, specifically your stressed brain, calling the shots and overriding your good intentions.
Let’s unpack what’s going on up there, and more importantly, how you can regain control with your thinking brain, not your craving brain.
The Brain Under Stress: What Happens?
When you’re stressed, your brain shifts gears. It’s designed to do that, to protect you, not help you stick to your health plan no matter what.
In fact, your brain can’t really tell the difference between modern-day overwhelm (like back-to-back meetings, teenage dramas, or lack of sleep) and true survival threats (like being chased by a lion). Either way, it kicks in the same ancient stress response.
This triggers the amygdala, your emotional brain, which screams “danger!” and puts your body on high alert. At the same time, your prefrontal cortex, the part of your brain responsible for logic, planning, and decision-making, essentially gets put on mute.
What does this mean?
You’re less likely to think “What would support my long-term health right now?”, and more likely to think, “I need chocolate. RIGHT NOW!.”
How stress hijacks your health goals
Stress ramps up cortisol, your primary stress hormone. High cortisol, in the moment, can:
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increase cravings for sugar, salty and fatty foods (hello, comfort eating)
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mess with your blood sugar levels, leading to energy crashes and irritability
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disrupt your sleep (which affects hunger hormones like ghrelin and leptin)
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push you to seek relief through things like alcohol, Netflix binges, or skipping your carefully planned meals
The result? Your Metabolic Balance plan gets sidelined. Not because you’re not committed, but because your brain’s emotional/survival circuits are overriding your best intentions.
The Prefrontal Cortex: Your Built-In Coach
Here’s the good news: you can train your brain to pause before reacting.
The prefrontal cortex, your brain’s real CEO, isn’t always online when you’re stressed, but you can bring it back on line. This part of your brain helps you:
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make conscious decisions
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reflect instead of react
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delay gratification
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stay aligned with your values and goals
Think of it like a muscle. The more you use it, the stronger it gets.
5 Ways to Reboot Your Thinking Brain and Stay on Track
These simple tools help you re-engage your prefrontal cortex so you can make choices that support—not sabotage—your health:
1. Take a Pause Before You React
The next time a craving hits, pause for just 60 seconds. Breathe deeply. Ask yourself: What do I really need right now? Often, it’s not food or wine, it’s rest, comfort, or support.
2. Name the Emotion
Research shows that naming your emotional state, like “I’m feeling overwhelmed” or “I’m anxious” reduces activity in the emotional brain and lights up the thinking brain. a powerful way to stop a craving in its tracks.
3. Use ‘If-Then’ Planning
Your brain loves clear instructions, try:
If I feel like reaching for chocolate, then I’ll go outside for five minutes first.
These tiny plans help your thinking brain stay in the driver’s seat and interrupt the habit.
4. Reduce the Triggers
If wine is your go-to de-stressor, don’t have it in the house during the week. If 4 pm is your snack-attack time, make sure you’ve eaten your Metabolic Balance lunch and are well hydrated, and don’t have snacks in the house or at work. Set your environment up for success.
5. Celebrate Small Wins
Every time you override a craving or choose your Metabolic Balance meal when you didn’t feel like it, acknowledge it. Your brain thrives on progress and reward. Tiny moments of success strengthen your healthy pathways.
Remember: You’re Not “Falling Off the Wagon”—you’re just human
The brain doesn’t change through guilt or shame, so stop being hard on yourself. It doesn’t work.
It changes through awareness, repetition, and small, consistent steps. The more you catch yourself in the moment, the more you strengthen that prefrontal cortex and the easier it becomes next time.
So, if stress has you sliding into old patterns, don’t beat yourself up. Simply pause, reset, and take one action that brings you back in alignment with your goals.
You’ve got this. And your brain? It’s on your side.
You just have to give it the tools to help you win.
Need support? I can help you reset and rebuild resilience:
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Book a one-on-one consultation (in-clinic or by Zoom) to dig into what’s really driving your symptoms – click here
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Eating the right foods can reduce stress on the body. Learn about the right foods to eat – click here
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Not sure what you need? Let’s chat in a FREE 20-minute connection call – click here
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With your health in mind,
Catherine
P.S. Here’s more reading to support cravings and staying on track with your health goals:
