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I haven’t had stress in my life for a long time. I mean, not to the level that I feel it now. Today, I joke that I have a case of the Mondays, but it’s really bigger than that.
I also feel like since I changed jobs… I worry a lot more. Worry about getting to work on time, getting home in time for yoga, fitting in all the things I want to do. When I went for my annual checkup a few weeks back, my blood pressure was up. For the first time in FOREVER.
Bottom line: Changing jobs is hard, and it shakes things up a bit. Eventually, it will stabilize. Right now, it just feels incredibly uneasy.
Just because I’ve lost 79 lbs, that doesn’t mean that I’ve figured all my food issues out. I certainly eat healthier than I did a year and a half ago. I also work out a whole heck of a lot more. Just the same, when it’s me and a mini loaf of banana bread that accidently broke on its way out of the oven… the banana bread tends to win (and it did yesterday.)
When things get hectic or I feel pressure, I crave “comfort” foods… and at times, I overeat. Other times, I choose a hot bath over a workout… and making a nice dinner instead of going to yoga. I’ll take the easy route at a 5K when it’s freezing and raining. I eat out for lunch with co-workers, and sometimes I even order rice when I go to chinese restaurants (gasp!)
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That last one made me smile a little… I really rarely order rice when I go to chinese, but I feel like it’s a HUGE indulgence when I get it since I haven’t ordered it in over a year. Lastly, and most impactfully, I’m not always nice to myself when I have these slip-ups.
The good news is that I recognize the behaviors. The bad news is that I’m not curbing them very well this week.
So… rather than continuing to whine about my stress levels and associated stress eating that’s been going on. I want to ask you this: What great articles/books have you read out there about productively dealing with stress and not letting food become a solution?
I need some solid practices and techniques to incorporate STAT. I refuse to let food come back in and play a starring role in my life… Right now (truth be told), I’m up about 3 lbs again. We cannot continue down this path.
Looking forward to your tips today. I need them, folks. xoxo
nothankstocake
nothankstocake
nothankstocake
nothankstocake
Check out the book “Fit From Within” by Victoria Moran (http://www.amazon.com/Fit-From-Within-Secrets-Starting/dp/0071412603/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1337604037&sr=8-1). I started reading this about a week ago and it is an easy read and a lot of what she says makes sense. I’m liking it enough that I’m thinking about getting a hard copy of the book to have on hand too so that it is easier to peruse the chapters on a whim.
I have learned to use exercise like I use to use food as I have an overwhelmingly STRESSFUL profession. Like you, I had to become mindful of the antecedent/trigger events/points and plan for them. Organizing my personal life helps off set the chaos in my professional life and this means that I have probably the most boring, over-planned, routine, predictable personal life but it makes it manageable and I’m able to stay at goal while managing stress. Preset menus, grocery lists, rarely eating out, set exercise appoints that I rarely miss and loving mysel enough to care that comes from deep down soul searching that no book or resource can give you. Kelly it sounds like change might be what you are stressed about and managing change is possible but first you have to be aware and it sounds like you are and you can do this, you’ve done it before just look back at moments of success and use them for now. Hugs and best of luck.
Right now, David Kirchhoff’s Weight Loss Boss is helping me big time. We’ll never be cured, but we have to learn to accept our setbacks and be true to ourselves. It’s not easy! I hope you have a better week!
I was going to suggest Fit from Within and someone already has! Very good book with mini-chapters that are almost like daily devotions!
I too am reading David Kirchhoff’s book, and his job seems incredibly stressful – international travel almost constantly – so he writes a lot about the deals he makes with himself to stay on track.
As you know, exercise ALWAYS makes you feel better when stressed, just keep that mantra in your head as your force yourself to work out. Hang in there. Change, good and bad, is always a little life shattering.
Kelly – I really enjoyed The Beck Diet Solution. I read it about a year ago, and could frankly stand to read it again. http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5190620-the-beck-diet-solution
It’s not a diet though. It’s really about changing the way you think about food. It’s more of a psychology book, with daily things to do to help you change the way you think about it. While I obviously am no expert at eating like a normal person, I definitely still apply a lot of what she talks about today. I also talked a lot about this book on my blog from last year.. http://the-big-weight.blogspot.com/search/label/The%20Beck%20Diet%20Solution That would give you an idea of what the book is about.
I know what you mean sister…I had been VERY naughty with my eating habits lately. I had gain 5 lbs =/ not happy about it at all. I started again my Jenny diet and hopefully I get rid of 30-40 lbs by Sept. if I really do the hard work.
Something that I do sometimes when I’m really stress out and I feel like eating chocolates, I put few Hershey Kisses in the freezer and eat three of those since they are frozen it takes a while to melt in your mouth and it satisfy me. Try it! The kisses and drinking water instead of food are the only tips that I have.
Have you ever read anything by Geneen Roth? I recommend “Women, food and god” (it’s not religious AT ALL…just trust me and read it haha) but all of her books deal with emotional eating. Honestly the best advice I can offer is to practice self love. Give yourself empathy for the stress you are feeling, allow yourself to fully feel your emotions, write about them in a journal, tell a friend about them, etc. And DON’T feel guilty about stress eating. Your body is taking care of you, give it love back! Emotional eating was a huge problem in my life and I’ve learned to overcome it largely by taking away the guilt associated with food. Good luck!