When work stress clouds your mind

mislissha

Anyone struggling with staying focused on eating right and working out when work has you stressing? Would love to hear some tips and tricks to help keep my mind clear and focused

emhorn625

Meeeee! My job is really stressful. I eat when I'm stressed. Not a good combo. I've started keeping a bottle of water at my desk and drink some instead of hitting the office candy dish. I'm also looking for a less stressful job. I'm 57 and quality of life is becoming more important than how much money I make.

Sunna_W

Yes! I did find some ways to cope:

1) When it was really bad, I looked for another job and got out of where I was. Also, overall, I stopped giving a crap about the politics and stepped back from the intrigue. I stopped participating in the gossip. I kept my mouth shut and my head down. I did this gradually over time and didn't tell people I was doing this. Now, I just do my job and I go home. I am always "busy" after work (doctor apts for family members, physical therapy, helping my parents) and I don't have time to do other peoples' work. (They don't have to know that I go home and put on my jammies and play computer games.)

2) I went on a Paleo / Keto-ish meal plan (low, low sugar/carbs and high protein/fat/fiber) of about 1400 calories (since January I have lost 23 pounds). And... I am only complaint calorie wise about 75% - 80% of the time. But, by eating low carb and low sugar all of the time amazing things happened:

• I don't crave sugar (I have an entire box of Charms Wild Berry Blow Pops in my file drawer that I haven't touched since November because I don't crave sugar; I once measured my stress level by how many of them i consumed in one day);
  
• My moods are more even and I don't have blood sugar spikes and crashes; I feel better.
  
• By consuming more healthy fats my joints don't hurt as much and I am more or less satiated on 1400 calories.
  
• I used Paleo Leap and Paleo Tribe for the recipe ideas (they have some great low calorie recipe options) but this isn't necessary. I do think preparing and eating food that I make as opposed to boxes or eating out has helped me a lot. Boxes say they are low carb (but they lots of other additives in them to make them taste good.)

3) It's not just about water -- on a Paleo / Keto-ish meal plan it's important to balance magnesium, potassium, sodium and chloride -- these minerals in the correct ratio (each person is different) help with mood, blood pressure and water balance.

4) Don't discount natural HRT to include estrogen (like the vivelle dot), progesterone (prometrium), thyroid replacement (like armour or NP thyroid). Find a doctor that will work with you to balance your hormones. It is not inevitable that women have to "get fat, be emotional, and lose bone density". Balanced hormones made my outlook more positive. See this website: https://stopthethyroidmadness.com/how-to-find-a-good-doc/

5) I got rid of all of the chemicals in my home. Everything is fragrance / dye free or natural cleaners. Frebreeze and similar products are endocrine disruptors and can actually make it difficult for people to lose weight. I also gave up scented lotions and perfume.

6) I made my family pull their own weight. If they want clean clothes they have to do them themselves. If there are no clean dishes, I don't cook. Again, I did this gradually over time. I told them I was busy and asked them to do their own laundry and to help with the kitchen. They never knew what hit them!

7) I also take 7-keto DHEA (fat burner), desiccated adrenal (160 mgs -- I started with a very low dose) and desiccated adrenal cortex (250 mgs). I have more energy and they have helped my allergies and my hormones. See this website: https://www.yourhormones.com/signs-symptoms/ Most women suffer from advanced adrenal fatigue and adaptogenic herbs don't work. To rebuild your adrenals desiccated adrenal extracts are very helpful. I was on prednisone, but was able to stop taking it.

8) I have some health issues and can't really exercise. Despite this and being tied to a desk all day, I have lost and continue to lose weight.

I hope that this was helpful.

MeadowRae

In addition to the wonderful advice Sunna_w gave, I would also recommend taking 5-10 minutes in the morning to center yourself. I know it sounds simple, but taking five minutes to reset your mind for the day is really helpful. You would meditate, pray, stretch, or just sip your coffee a little more slowly.

HapE2Give

I keep a dish of sunflower seeds on my desk. They take a long time to Crack open, so I can't eat a lot at one time. They keep me awake, they don't interfere with my work flow, and they're a relatively healthy snacks in moderation. They can be very good for a distraction and to satisfy a need to stress eat when the work day is crappy. It takes me about 2 months to eat a whole bag from the convenience store.

daneejela

When you work the most & when you are most stressed - you need to support your body the most with proper nutrient rich food. You don't need to be in caloric deficit these days, but don't overload your body with junk food to feel even more overloaded...if you need extra sugar try eating some fruits instead.