Anxiety and overeating

dustedwithsugar

Hello everyone!
I hope to get some advice here. So, recently I started new job, which is causing me big anxiety. All day long I'm tense and nervous and all I want to do when I get home is to sit on my a$s and stuff my face. I know it's sabotaging my diet... I steadily lost 25 pounds and still have another 20 to go. It's not exactly binging, I'm fully aware what I am doing, the problem is nothing soothes my nerves as food. When I feel bad all I can think about is comfort food and no arguments can convince me that it's bad for me. I was thinking to start exercise routine, maybe running or weightlifting would take my mind off my stress and release some endorphines, but when I get home my all body is literally aching from all the tension and moving around is the last thing I want to do.
Do you have any advice? How to break this circle? (changing jobs is not an option )

TavistockToad

You know what you need to do... you just wrote it in your post...

Also, while leaving your job may not be an option can you speak to a manager about your situation?

ogtmama

What about waking up early for a nice walk or some yoga? It could help put you in a better frame of mind BEFORE you get to work and also remind you what the overall goal is.

snickerscharlie

dustedwithsugar wrote: »

Hello everyone!
I hope to get some advice here. So, recently I started new job, which is causing me big anxiety. All day long I'm tense and nervous and all I want to do when I get home is to sit on my a$s and stuff my face. I know it's sabotaging my diet... I steadily lost 25 pounds and still have another 20 to go. It's not exactly binging, I'm fully aware what I am doing, the problem is nothing soothes my nerves as food. When I feel bad all I can think about is comfort food and no arguments can convince me that it's bad for me. I was thinking to start exercise routine, maybe running or weightlifting would take my mind off my stress and release some endorphines, but when I get home my all body is literally aching from all the tension and moving around is the last thing I want to do.
Do you have any advice? How to break this circle? (changing jobs is not an option )

How long ago did you start this new job? And do you foresee this anxiety level going down/away anytime soon? Is it occurring just because you're new to your job, or is the anxiety something that the actual nature of the job is generating?

Everyone feels useless the first while on a new job. That's normal. But if this is more than that, or is continuing to occur beyond the first week or two, you might want to talk to a professional about your current level of anxiety.

Or look for a different job.

Shelle33

I deal with this too. For me, low impact physical activity is best to start (think walking outside, swimming, yoga, etc.). I also journal, do something creative, or call a friend if it's getting really crazy.

In terms of food/drink, tea is my friend. Something soothing like peppermint or warming like genmaicha. If I have a really strong craving, sometimes I'll just indulge in a single serving size or have a healthier substitute. It's all about balance and giving yourself time to take care of your physical AND mental health.

With the job situation, make sure to take note of physical symptoms of stress. If you start losing hair, if your nails become brittle, if you can't walk into the office without dread, if you come home and can't stop thinking/talking about work, if you're achy/having a feeling of malaise all the time, those are all signs that it's time to reevaluate things. As someone who has been there, no job is worth sacrificing your health in this way. As with the post above, it may be time to speak to your manager or look for other options.