Do You Turn to Comfort Food?

It's back-to-school time and whether you're a student, parent or teacher, it's a season of big changes, new routines and lots of adjustments. Heck, even if you're not in any way associated with school, this time of year can be stressful, as the lazy days of summer fade into distant memory and you rev up for real life -- and cold weather -- again.

We all deal with stress differently -- some thrive on it, some hide from it under the duvet with a bag of cookies and some just get on with it. Regardless, most of us notice a change in our eating habits during these times. They may be as small as a craving for an extra slice of bread, or big enough to induce all-out binges. Either way, we usually reach for the foods that comfort us, be it sugary snacks, trustworthy carbs, junk food that we love or dishes that mom made when we were kids.

So what about you? Are you a comfort-food junky in tough times, or can you stick to your regular eating habits?

Last week, I asked if you take the stairs as part of your ongoing effort to stay fit. Here's what you said:

• 53 percent of you hoof it up the stairs whenever it's humanly possible. Right on! You've made me proud, readers.
• 37 percent usually do -- but you'll give yourself a break every now and then.
• 8 percent only do it if they have to.
• 2 percent wouldn't dream of it. Why bother, when there's an elevator nearby?

Craving comfort food? Our Recipe Rehab expert might just have a healthy version that will satisfy.