Editor's note: This is the second of two columns on situations that can affect a diet.

During times of high tension and anxiety, people's priorities tend to shift, and it's not unusual for things like exercising and a healthy diet to seem less important. We can sometimes avoid this kind of meltdown just by thinking ahead. Here are a few of the most common life changes that can bust up your diet and exercise program, as well as ways to fix the problems.

MOVING

Moving is undeniably stressful, and if you're feeling overwhelmed, you may overeat or eat erratically. You're so preoccupied with packing or unpacking that you forget to eat. Or you may still be looking for the box with your dishes. "And this is where an otherwise healthy meal plan gets derailed," explains D. Milton Stokes, of the American Dietetic Association. If you've skipped a meal or two, when dinner comes around you may make up for it by breezing into the first fast-food joint you see and ordering a large burger, fries and soda.

The fix: Before you move in, make sure the fridge is stocked with low-calorie frozen foods — they're fast, simple and portion- controlled. Also, scout out restaurants and takeout places in the area weeks before you arrive; scour their menus for healthier options. Pick a few key dishes from each restaurant and verify their healthy preparation by calling ahead.

NEW JOB

When you begin a new job, you need to adapt to new rules, a new boss, a new environment and new co-workers. All these changes can lead dieters to familiar high-calorie foods as a source of comfort. Candy, cookies and other junk foods are quick, easy and readily accessible, but they're also full of empty calories. And a new job may also bring you closer to new, unhealthy food sources. Maybe there weren't any bakeries near your previous office to tempt you, and now there's one right on the corner. Or maybe your new boss treats everyone to bagels and muffins every Friday. You'd finally found a good salad bar near your old job, but now you have to start the search all over again. Well, you'll have to establish new automatic behaviors to replace the ones that worked in the past.

The fix: Again, as when you're moving, you need to scout out your new area. Gather up area takeout menus and take 10 to 15 minutes to contact a few about their healthy offerings. Highlight those and keep them in your desk drawer or locker. Don't be shy about asking for healthful recommendations from your new co-workers — it's a great way to break the ice.

Stokes recognizes that some new employees may fear appearing rude if they decline office treats, especially those prepared by the boss. He suggests breaking the item in half for a smaller portion or taking it back to your office in a napkin for a stealthy discard. Before you know it you'll be able to set up a "no fattening food" zone around your work area.

With your new job, try to find new opportunities for physical activity. You can create new automatic habits, such as walking or biking to work (if it's reasonably close), taking the stairs more and walking to see a co-worker instead of using the phone or e-mail.

LOSS

As devastating as a loss can be, it can also wreak havoc with your eating habits. If you lose a job and don't find another one soon enough, despair and self-doubt can make the refrigerator your favorite companion. You console yourself during all those extra hours at home by buying buckets of ice cream and bags of chips; plus, you might also lack the energy to be as active as you once were.

The fix: Here are the most popular comfort foods in North America, according to a study conducted by the Cornell Food and Brand Lab: potato chips (23 percent), ice cream (14 percent), cookies (12 percent), chocolate (11 percent), pizza or pasta (11 percent), steak or burgers (9 percent). Do any of them appeal to you?

Come up with comfort-food alternatives, and make sure to have them on hand (i.e., calorie bargains). A little preparation can keep psychological triggers and biological responses to stress under control and stop "comfort food" binges from ruining your weight-loss efforts. For examples of healthier comfort foods, see www.dietdetective.com/content/view/1123/158.

ILLNESS AND INJURY

Maybe you have a back or neck strain or were just diagnosed with heart disease or diabetes — any issue that sets you back physically may create havoc with your normal activity level. If you stop your usual activities, it's important to replace them with others.

The fix: It's imperative that you talk to your physician about your activity level. Explain your current activity level, and make sure to get advice on how to maintain mobility during the healing process.

Charles Stuart Platkin is a nutrition and public-health advocate, and author of "Breaking the FAT Pattern" (Plume, 2006). Sign up for the free Diet Detective newsletter at www.dietdetective.com.