Can't get out of this rut!

truedecember

Where to start?! So first of all, I haven't actually LOST weight in the past like, four months. I just keep maintaining! I'll do really well for a few days and then totally get off track, then feel guilty and eat more, then finally get on track, and then it just starts over! I literally feel like I'm always just trying to get back on track and I'm never actually ON track. So frustrating. I'm a college student, so between the weekends and studying and lack of time it sucks! Not to mention that I JUST turned 21 so of course I want to celebrate it, and even more challenges come along with that!!

So now it's finals week and I'm going insane. I have two really hard finals coming up, one on Monday and one on Tuesday. I'm going to be spending the next four days in the library, which definitely makes me want to eat. And for some reason, the gym is CLOSED this weekend!?? Whose great idea was that?! I'm going to try to get a run in, but honestly, with how much studying I have to do it's going to be hard.

So tonight, in all my stress, I went to the store to stock up on studying snacks. I came home with a box of doughnuts, a thing of Oreos, and a bag of Swedish fish. What is wrong with me!? Part of me just wants to say to heck with it and eat whatever I want in order to get the good grades I need. I feel like if I'm not eating what I want, I can't focus on studying because I'm too busy daydreaming what food I want and trying to stop cravings! It's ridiculous and so so frustrating. But at the same time, if I eat what I want, I waste time feeling guilty about it! And of course the minute finals are over, I'm going home and it's Christmas, so by the time things are actually "routine" again, I'll probably have gained 10 pounds!!

I guess I just feel like I'm always trying to leap over hurdles and I keep failing... but I KNOW I have more willpower than this, I just don't know where it went! I want to reverse things before it's too late! I just wish I wasn't a stress-eater.... or at least not a stress-eater who craves sugar... and now I don't know what to do with all the food I bought. I kind of want to throw it away but I would feel really bad, and I know I'll be thinking about it while I'm trying to study...

I don't know... if anyone has some good advice it would be much appreciated. Or even if you just read that whole rant, thanks I just needed to get out some of the frustration!

FireRox21

Don't beat yourself up over this "rut". You are in a VERY stressful time in your life. It is quite difficult to focus on studies, while trying to follow smart eating, exercise, etc. AND, it's the holidays. Temptatious food is everywhere. Others may disagree with me, but allow yourself a little break at least to get through finals. Then, you can regroup and refocus when the new semester starts. You will have a new schedule and can allocate time for yourself, exercise, etc.

poustotah

I'm going with FireRox on this. You know you're a stress eater and right now, it sounds like there's a LOT of stress over there. Get through finals, get through Christmas and then get back on track. Start the new year finding ways to deal with the stress other than eating. I too am a stress eater. I'm a stay at home mom with three kids and I usually end each day staring in the mirror to make sure I haven't pulled out my hair or checking to see if I need to get it colored to cover up the gray (so far so good). I'm also a control freak and no one can clean the house better than me. So I've had to learn to start delegating and doing just the things that need to be done. If I get too stressed, I step away. Learn your triggers and manage them. You can do this.

arewethereyet

I am going to take a different route on this one, get back on track now.

I did an experiment during a time when I had to test out or maybe lose my job. Instead of eating or watching TV during my breaks from studying (and you DO need those breaks, more on that later) I would exercise.

I would study for an hour, then get up and do 10 squats, 10 wall push ups, 10 lunges....get a healthy snack.
triscuits and cheese
carrots and hummus
rolled up roast bf and cheese rolls
laughing cow and wheat thins

Or make up a good sandwhich and eat it in quarters.

I am telling you, my mind was SO much clearer than past times spent in study.

Something about getting up and concentrating on the exercise made what I was reading much clearer in my mind. And I aced the exam....

So if you can make it happen, try something different. I swear the stress itself of 4 exams can pack on a pound or two if you eat NOTHING .....

I know you can do this!!!

truedecember

Thanks for the responses! Actually just reading them made me feel a little less stressed I decided I'm going to do my best to make healthy choices for the next few days, but maybe not be a huge stickler with counting calories. I brought a couple doughnuts with me to the library today, but I left the Oreos and the Swedish Fish at home! That's a big step right there!

Thanks a lot you guys!! I love that everyone here is so understanding