Community Chat

[missy1]

eat

[ROMARY]

I used to worry, but not anymore. I just say 'Oh, well', . . . . . . . 'Que Sera, Sera'., 'Whatever will be will be, The future is not ours to see.......Que Sera, Sera.' (It does help me, anyway).

[madcity411]

Take a walk, workout, anything but eat.

[JustJules]

On 4/6/2015 lizzief said: I lost 25 lbs and kept it off for several years. Unfortunately, because of some personal issues and enormous stress at work, I've gained almost all of it back - I'm a stress eater, always have been! Give me comfort food and sweets! Some people are the opposite, they lose their appetite when they are stressed. What do you do?

People deal with stress in many ways, so try to look at the positives. At least you are aware of what is causing you to eat, and you've lost the weight previously so you know you can do it again. Now that you've identified yourself as a stress eater, when you find yourself going for that bag of chips or cookies or about to make a fast-food run, stop yourself and try to redirect your focus with something more positive.

As you mentioned, I am one of those opposite people that totally lose their appetite when stressed, which is equally bad I think. I've found that it makes me fatigued because my body isn't getting any nutrition to keep it going, which compounds the problem of already feeling on edge due to the stress. I've often found that it even causes me to feel nauseous if I'm really stressed. I have done lots of research on stress and the horrible things it does to your body physically and emotionally. I had to do a paper on health management recently, and while I knew about many of the obvious effects of stress, I was shocked at some of the information I found...stress truly is a killer. It damages or impairs all of our body systems, and it's just bad stuff no matter how you look at it.

When I am stressed I find that some quiet time works best for me. That can be going for a walk in the park with my dog, taking a warm and relaxing bath, reading a book or articles on some of the hobbies I enjoy, or taking an exercise class. I recently joined my local YMCA because I got a free month through my employer, and I took a Tai Chi class...it was extremely relaxing and emotionally calming. I also have taken advantage of just swimming in the pool, relaxing in the whirlpool, and sitting in the steam room for about 15 minutes. After some long tiring days, I have left there feeling more relaxed and rejuvenated.

Even if you can take little steps to reduce some of your stress, and get back on track to your healthier lifestyle, you'll find yourself feeling better in no time. One key thing I believe, is never be too hard on yourself for any slip-ups in your weight loss. It's normal and temporary, just start over the next day with new commitment. Remember that you aren't alone.

[lizzief]

On 4/6/2015 JustJules said:

On 4/6/2015 lizzief said: I lost 25 lbs and kept it off for several years. Unfortunately, because of some personal issues and enormous stress at work, I've gained almost all of it back - I'm a stress eater, always have been! Give me comfort food and sweets! Some people are the opposite, they lose their appetite when they are stressed. What do you do?

People deal with stress in many ways, so try to look at the positives. At least you are aware of what is causing you to eat, and you've lost the weight previously so you know you can do it again. Now that you've identified yourself as a stress eater, when you find yourself going for that bag of chips or cookies or about to make a fast-food run, stop yourself and try to redirect your focus with something more positive.

As you mentioned, I am one of those opposite people that totally lose their appetite when stressed, which is equally bad I think. I've found that it makes me fatigued because my body isn't getting any nutrition to keep it going, which compounds the problem of already feeling on edge due to the stress. I've often found that it even causes me to feel nauseous if I'm really stressed. I have done lots of research on stress and the horrible things it does to your body physically and emotionally. I had to do a paper on health management recently, and while I knew about many of the obvious effects of stress, I was shocked at some of the information I found...stress truly is a killer. It damages or impairs all of our body systems, and it's just bad stuff no matter how you look at it.

When I am stressed I find that some quiet time works best for me. That can be going for a walk in the park with my dog, taking a warm and relaxing bath, reading a book or articles on some of the hobbies I enjoy, or taking an exercise class. I recently joined my local YMCA because I got a free month through my employer, and I took a Tai Chi class...it was extremely relaxing and emotionally calming. I also have taken advantage of just swimming in the pool, relaxing in the whirlpool, and sitting in the steam room for about 15 minutes. After some long tiring days, I have left there feeling more relaxed and rejuvenated.

Even if you can take little steps to reduce some of your stress, and get back on track to your healthier lifestyle, you'll find yourself feeling better in no time. One key thing I believe, is never be too hard on yourself for any slip-ups in your weight loss. It's normal and temporary, just start over the next day with new commitment. Remember that you aren't alone.

Jules, you must have found the key, just reading your post is calming! It would definitely be nice to be able to meditate, go for a walk, or read a book, as others have suggested. Unfortunately, my boss might take exception to that! It's the immediate gratification that you need, and that's why it's easier to quickly pop something into your mouth! And frankly, even though I try to keep healthy snacks available, sometimes - more often than not - an apple or orange just doesn't cut it!

[Moonchilde]

I definitely eat when stressed. Besides that ;-) I try to pamper myself in some way - pedicure, facial, massage, a meal out or ordered in, spending the (weekend) day in bed.

[JustJules]

lizzief, I'm not sure I found the key, but I'm glad you found my post a little calming. I totally understand about work stress, and not being able to have that quiet time when you need it most. Surely you're entitled to restroom breaks and lunch... even in those few short minutes try to shut out the work "noise" and let some of that stress roll off. Maybe stretch, or walk up and down a flight of stairs concentrating on deep breathing. You would be amazed at how much physical stress we carry across our shoulders and back, starting at our neck. Even just a few short stretches will loosen those muscles and release some of that tension. If that fails, just close your eyes for a minute and envision playing pin-the-tail on your supervisor.

[Purrrfect]

Raising hand here. Stress eater too. If you're going to eat while stressed, it's best to keep junk food out of the house entirely and eat healthy foods because when under stress your body needs nutrition more than ever. I have a whole bag of apples and oranges in the refrigerator. Reach for almonds or raisins if you must! I also keep fat free frozen yogurt in the freezer but I must admit I can eat all of it in one sitting.

[VioletEyes]

When I am stressed I exercise. The endorphins it produces help a lot with the stress. Even if I don't really feel like exercising, I force myself and I always feel better afterwards.

[raven-blackbird]

when I'm stressed..............I clean............I clean EVERYTHING........if it doesn't move away it get's scrubbed clean and polished....................................raven