during stressful times in your life...

KF1216

Hi friends,
When I started off on this quest my life was simple, stable and easy (if you can call being a stay at home mom to two kids under age 4 with a husband who works over-nights is easy!). I've lost 38lbs developed a love of running.

Now our lives are suddenly very stressful - my husband is up for a promotion that would relocate us across the state. All the uncertainty about will he get it, what will we do if he does, if he doesn't, where will we move, when, etc etc etc - it's driving me nutty. I'm having a really hard time because I just want to resort to my old stress-eating ways (which is most of why I gained the weight I did in the first place!) I love running, but feel overwhelmed and depressed so I don't want to do anything BUT running and it's so hot out that I haven't been doing much running so in turn I haven't been doing much exercise at all. I have 4lbs to go to meet my healthy BMI goal and ideally 14lbs more to meet my final goal. I just don't know, should I set my goal to maintain until we are over this stressful time, give myself a little bit of a break and maybe allowing some extra room in my diet will prevent me from blowing the whole thing and stress binge, or is now the time to buckle down and take control - I have control over so little in what's going to happen in my life right now but I could control my diet/exercise, finish up and meet my goal.

Any advice would be great. Thanks so much!

lauleipop

You have to pick your battles. In your situation, I would would eat at maintenance, but under no circumstances would I compromise on the running.

I also run and I am essentially worthless without it.

KF1216

You have to pick your battles. In your situation, I would would eat at maintenance, but under no circumstances would I compromise on the running.

I also run and I am essentially worthless without it.

I think running more would help me cope better but it's been hot - my husband works overnights and doesn't get home until 10:30-11am and is in bed by 4:30 so the hours he's available to watch the kids, it's too hot to go. I can take the kids in the morning in the jogging stroller but I don't get the same buzz when I'm dealing with whining kids the whole time. *sigh*

chaNyn613

You have done a great job! A SAHM with 2 kids under the age of 4 and a nightshift husband!!!! Amazing

Your husband is up for a promotion but doesn't have it yet so I would still focus on the 4lb goal. When your husband does get the promotion - go for maintenance.

Can you run inside or try something different like zumba? For me, I need the stress reliever of my excercise routine. I probably wouldn't worry much about your goals I would be more concerned about dealing with the stress and keeping the bad habits at bay. Would it be possible to run early in the am?

If you do relocate sign up for a local marathon in the new town to help you focus on maintaining. I would probably find one that is about 3 months after you move to give yourself enough time to settle in but not enough time to become complacent. Plus you might meet some new friends/running partners.

debbiestine

During stressful times I would read my bible/join a bible study/ mom's group etc. My husband has been in the military for 29 years and I know it can be stressful when the kids are young. We lived in 4 other countries and 8 states with a total of 17 homes (on/off base). We didn't have relatives close by or long term friends to depend on. He went tdy- away- too many times to count. I learned early on that I had to give my worries to God and he is/was faithful. There's a group called Made to Crave on the community tab.
Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.Psalm 55:22

I know you are talking about exercise- a great stress relief! and good eating habits will help too..

KF1216

You have done a great job! A SAHM with 2 kids under the age of 4 and a nightshift husband!!!! Amazing

Your husband is up for a promotion but doesn't have it yet so I would still focus on the 4lb goal. When your husband does get the promotion - go for maintenance.

Can you run inside or try something different like zumba? For me, I need the stress reliever of my excercise routine. I probably wouldn't worry much about your goals I would be more concerned about dealing with the stress and keeping the bad habits at bay. Would it be possible to run early in the am?

If you do relocate sign up for a local marathon in the new town to help you focus on maintaining. I would probably find one that is about 3 months after you move to give yourself enough time to settle in but not enough time to become complacent. Plus you might meet some new friends/running partners.

thank you for the encouragement! I have some zumba videos and others -insanity, brazil but lift, etc. but I feel like I have to be in a good mood to do them and right now I'm not:(

The immediate concern is that he's leaving Sunday for a 2 week trial period type thing where we wont see or hardly talk to him and he has to work his *kitten* off to impress everyone. So I'll be alone with the two kiddos for that whole time and wont get a moment to myself to go on that solo run or get a descent video workout in (I mean, yeah I could do it at night ater they go to bed but I'm usually pretty fried by then....)

Anyway...I like your ideas about just trying to keep bad habits at bay...even if I go over on calories, as long as I'm not binging it's a big improvement. And I'm not quite up for a marathon, lol! Maybe a half or a 10k? I think there's actually a really nice one in the fall over there....will have to look into it:) Thanks again!

lauristewart

I agree with Chanyn.....figure out another exercise to replace the outside running during this heat. Or get up way early, maybe before hubby leaves, to run while it is still cool. I workout usually at 5 to 5:30 am just to get it out of the way. Now I am an inside exerciser and am addicted to Shaun T! LOL! I workout to Insanity, Asylum, Bob Harper's dvd's and spinning. (I have a spin bike in my basement with my exercise equipment). Dealing with stress is very hard, but if you feel like over eating, do some sort of exercise. It has helped me this week....I am way off my schedule but am getting my workouts in the afternoon and it really has helped!! Keep it up and you will make your goal! Be consistant with your calories and workouts and it will come off!! Good luck!

KF1216

I agree with Chanyn.....figure out another exercise to replace the outside running during this heat. Or get up way early, maybe before hubby leaves, to run while it is still cool. I workout usually at 5 to 5:30 am just to get it out of the way. Now I am an inside exerciser and am addicted to Shaun T! LOL! I workout to Insanity, Asylum, Bob Harper's dvd's and spinning. (I have a spin bike in my basement with my exercise equipment). Dealing with stress is very hard, but if you feel like over eating, do some sort of exercise. It has helped me this week....I am way off my schedule but am getting my workouts in the afternoon and it really has helped!! Keep it up and you will make your goal! Be consistant with your calories and workouts and it will come off!! Good luck!

Husband is at work from 1-10am so getting up early is no good. I was thinking though, my kids go to bed around 7 and he's sleeping in the next room. ..lately they've been pretty good about going to sleep and staying in bed, maybe he'd be OK with me going for a run at night. ..course that won't help me these next two weeks while he's away, but maybe tomorrow night.. .

caraiselite

ketosis pretty much cures any desire to overeat/stress eat/binge.

run in place in your house while the kids are eating/playing/sleeping.