Stress and weight loss

ashbabe25

I'm under a lot of stress constantly (personal issues mostly) more than probably ever before in recent history. I moved a year and a half ago and since then I really can't seem to drop the pounds.

How can I help myself be less stressed because it's really getting me down.

MaddMaestro

Don't know where you live, but if it's warm in your area, get outside. Do something besides sit round. If you're stressed or bored you MAY have a higher chance of eating more than you would have intended to normally (emotional eating) They do say that exercise is a good stress reliever, even if you're just walking or stretching.

ashbabe25

I live on Long Island, NY. I'm not a stress eater, I get very sick to my stomach and eat way less than normal when I'm under stress (like right now when my shower is not working and my bf keeps texting me from work asking me what's going on... HE is my biggest stress factor).

Daddy78230

I can totally relate. That is, divorce, financial problems and pressure, several medical issues, high pressure job and not enough time in the day and week. It felt like I was going to fall off the deep end.

You just have to stay on top of things and find balance. Don't let things go or go hide out behind a bottle vodka or gallon of ice cream - you may make problems worse. You have to realize that you can't help everyone and make everyone happy. It's fine to let some things go or ask for help.

Putting some effort in improving your health is not being selfish. Make some incremental improvements with how much and what you eat. Try to fit in some activities in your life. Try to get plenty of sleep.

Make incremental improvements in your life, outside of health, to lessen stress or make it more manageable. Avoid adding more.

For me, my declining healthy was a major issue and source of stress - it was the elephant in the room. As my health improved (physically, mentally, emotionally), so did many of my other issues. In addition I didn't stop making improvements and progress just because i met a milestone goal or got off certain meds. I made it a habit and part of my lifestyle.

It's not to say I'm still not under a lot of stress - I just have less issues to contend with and I'm better able to balance and manage them.

ashbabe25

Thanks @Daddy78230

I don't drink but I joke sometimes I should.

I don't find much solace in overeating either. So I guess that's a good thing.

I just seem to always be at a high level of stress at least three days a week and it's exhausting.

Daddy78230

ashbabe25 wrote: »

Thanks @Daddy78230

I don't drink but I joke sometimes I should.

I don't find much solace in overeating either. So I guess that's a good thing.

I just seem to always be at a high level of stress at least three days a week and it's exhausting.

What are some things that your bf does or doesn't do that makes life stressful? You say he's biggest stress factor.

ashbabe25

He's... incredibly high strung. If things go wrong he obsesses until there's a resolution and he 'vents' aka yells. And I don't handle that bs well. He doesn't seem to realize that.

JeromeBarry1

Walk outdoors among grass and trees for 30 minutes. That's a great way of reducing stress. Don't even treat it as exercise with power and vigor. Just stroll. Meditate, if you're able. Pray, if you wish. Ditch the bf for your health.

ashbabe25

JeromeBarry1 wrote: »

Walk outdoors among grass and trees for 30 minutes. That's a great way of reducing stress. Don't even treat it as exercise with power and vigor. Just stroll. Meditate, if you're able. Pray, if you wish. Ditch the bf for your health.

I do can do all but the last one. That's more complicated than I wish it was... eventually though.

lioness803

Food is the most overused depression "drug" and exercise the most underused anxiety "drug". Use the stress to fuel workouts. I find yoga helps, also (and I have serious anxiety) And I definitely second the suggestions of getting outdoors!

ruqayyahsmum

ashbabe25 wrote: »

JeromeBarry1 wrote: »

Walk outdoors among grass and trees for 30 minutes. That's a great way of reducing stress. Don't even treat it as exercise with power and vigor. Just stroll. Meditate, if you're able. Pray, if you wish. Ditch the bf for your health.

I do can do all but the last one. That's more complicated than I wish it was... eventually though.

Eventually?

So if youve already decided hes not the one, then why stay and be stressed out and deny him the chance to move on and meet his right person?

try2again

I'm confused... your original post said that stress was making it difficult for you to lose weight, and your next comment said stress makes you sick & so you eat way less than normal?

ashbabe25

try2again wrote: »

I'm confused... your original post said that stress was making it difficult for you to lose weight, and your next comment said stress makes you sick & so you eat way less than normal?

I do... and I still can't lose weight.

ashbabe25

@try2again I eat a pretty healthy, balanced diet, but when I'm under a lot of stress I do not lose weight. I had no problem keeping my weight steady (to me that means my clothes all fit with no problem, until I moved a year and a half ago and I'm more stressed on a regular basis than I was before I moved and since last December (2015) I'm two sizes bigger than I'm comfortable being.

I've been exercising more regularly and eating better foods but in just over a month I've only lost 2.8lbs and it's incredibly frustrating

lioness803

2.8 pounds in a little over a month isn't really that low, especially if you don't have a ton of weight to lose

choppie70

I would give my left boob for stress only three days a week! I do get it though, stress is stress!

I teach (no stress there!), I am also a teacher leader, on several committees - I work 60 hours a week. I am also working on my NBPTS and under a deadline. I am also a mother, a wife of a man who works overnights, a homeowner, a doggy mom.

I also have health issues (not related to weight) and have been diagnosed with anxiety disorder. I am also a stress eater.

My saving grace is MY time. I make time each day for ME. My daughter and husband know that is sacred time and do not bother me. I walk, do an exercise video, read in bed, take a loooong shower - whatever I want to do for me!

Squidgeypaws007

try2again wrote: »

I'm confused... your original post said that stress was making it difficult for you to lose weight, and your next comment said stress makes you sick & so you eat way less than normal?

Stress actually has a major factor in the increase of certain chemicals in the blood, primarily corticosteriods (although they're not the only ones) - these lead to the retention of water and of fat (as an evolutionary device that would assume you were stressed due to poor survival conditions).

So you can be eating less and not dropping weight consistently.

ashbabe25

choppie70 wrote: »

I would give my left boob for stress only three days a week! I do get it though, stress is stress!

I teach (no stress there!), I am also a teacher leader, on several committees - I work 60 hours a week. I am also working on my NBPTS and under a deadline. I am also a mother, a wife of a man who works overnights, a homeowner, a doggy mom.

I also have health issues (not related to weight) and have been diagnosed with anxiety disorder. I am also a stress eater.

My saving grace is MY time. I make time each day for ME. My daughter and husband know that is sacred time and do not bother me. I walk, do an exercise video, read in bed, take a loooong shower - whatever I want to do for me!

I stress almost every day. But the major stress is 3-4 days a week usually. I live and work with my bf (which has its pros but lately the cons outweigh them) and my son who is a college student and works part time lives with us (I mean, he's lived with me his whole life so..)

I don't do exercise videos when the bf is home because he would make fun of me relentlessly if I did, I stick with those on weekends when he's working. I will do short workouts at the office on my lunch hour the two days a week I don't work with him.

I'm a renter and this apartment has been the cause of much stress lately between an incompetent landlord who repairs things in a halfashed manner and so last weekend we had no shower at all and again today the shower wouldn't shut off and I have the landlords son and plumber right now back and forth through my apartment trying to get to the bottom of the issue.

My bf is high strung and when things don't go his way he carries on and on causing my anxiety to go through the roof (I especially loved being woken up at 6:15 this morning because th shower wouldn't turn off and he didn't know how to cut the main water off and my hands haven't stopped shaking since because he texts me constantly "venting") He goes on and on on how we need to find a new apartment. Ah, yes. While I agree with this it's not easy to do so, it's expensive and we just don't have the money to put two months rent down as a deposit plus an additional month if we need to use an agent, apartments in this area run 1900-2200 so yeah. Money is always the biggest constant stress.

try2again

ashbabe25 wrote: »

choppie70 wrote: »

I would give my left boob for stress only three days a week! I do get it though, stress is stress!

I teach (no stress there!), I am also a teacher leader, on several committees - I work 60 hours a week. I am also working on my NBPTS and under a deadline. I am also a mother, a wife of a man who works overnights, a homeowner, a doggy mom.

I also have health issues (not related to weight) and have been diagnosed with anxiety disorder. I am also a stress eater.

My saving grace is MY time. I make time each day for ME. My daughter and husband know that is sacred time and do not bother me. I walk, do an exercise video, read in bed, take a loooong shower - whatever I want to do for me!

I stress almost every day. But the major stress is 3-4 days a week usually. I live and work with my bf (which has its pros but lately the cons outweigh them) and my son who is a college student and works part time lives with us (I mean, he's lived with me his whole life so..)

I don't do exercise videos when the bf is home because he would make fun of me relentlessly if I did, I stick with those on weekends when he's working. I will do short workouts at the office on my lunch hour the two days a week I don't work with him.

I'm a renter and this apartment has been the cause of much stress lately between an incompetent landlord who repairs things in a halfashed manner and so last weekend we had no shower at all and again today the shower wouldn't shut off and I have the landlords son and plumber right now back and forth through my apartment trying to get to the bottom of the issue.

My bf is high strung and when things don't go his way he carries on and on causing my anxiety to go through the roof (I especially loved being woken up at 6:15 this morning because th shower wouldn't turn off and he didn't know how to cut the main water off and my hands haven't stopped shaking since because he texts me constantly "venting") He goes on and on on how we need to find a new apartment. Ah, yes. While I agree with this it's not easy to do so, it's expensive and we just don't have the money to put two months rent down as a deposit plus an additional month if we need to use an agent, apartments in this area run 1900-2200 so yeah. Money is always the biggest constant stress.

It sounds like maybe weight loss shouldn't be your first priority right now.

That being said, you have lost 2.8 lbs and that is perfectly respectable, as another poster pointed out. Exercise doesn't matter so much as accurately logging your calorie intake (even if you don't think that you're eating that much), but it definitely would be useful for stress relief.

choppie70

I am sorry, but I am going to be blunt.

1. I am hearing a lot of excuses. A lot of what you are stressing about is life. There are going to be things that happen that we have no control over. You have to learn to deal with them. I have anxiety and have learned that I can't fixate on things I have no control over - it took me a long time, but I can let some things go now.

2. I agree with the previous poster - maybe you need to ditch the boyfriend. From what you have said, it doesn't sound like he respects you or your relationship. My husband would never make fun of my attempts to make myself better. Your boyfriend seems to be the root of a lot of your stress. It isn't easy - I know. I left a poor marriage with a 7 year old daughter in tow and had to move in with my parents. It worked out though and I am much better for it now.

3. I suggest seeing your doctor and talking to them. They can offer suggestions on getting your stress under control.

ashbabe25

While j know he is a main source of my stress it isn't easy to just leave him. I don't have parents to move in with anymore and as I said, we work together. So while I'd love to up and leave him I'd also have to leave my job.

I'd love to see my doctor, but I no longer have health insurance.