is it stress?

Baerlin

Hello everyone,

I have this ever revolving question? Does stress really make you fat or even keep you from losing weight?
I should not complain... I am losing weight and even lost an inch on belly and hips.

This is the 8th week working out and keeping track on the food I eat. I just find the weight loss slow.
My stress level is about a 3 in the morning and a 7 in the afternoon (when kids get back from school:grumble: ) on a scale from 1-10.

What do you think? And what do you do about the stress in your life? How do you manage?

Thanks
silke:flowerforyou:

karenjoy

I am not sure, I think it takes people in different ways. During the most stressful times of my life (losing my Mum, my divorce etc) I have actually lost my appetite and often felt physically unable to eat or even think about food. Then at less stressful times, the everyday stress in my past like my 3 children and their associated problems (my son has ADHD and PDD) and my rubbish marriage (not this one!) have made me comfort eat. I also got into a bad habit of associating that feeling full and eating chocolate and things I like as 'relaxing' rather than 'eating'

CABERGLUND

We have different stresses and they afeect us in different ways. It's the ongoing stress that age us. The unhappy marriage, goofy kids, financial worries that age us and make us choose unwisely in terms of eating. The short term stresses like dinner for 100 or graduation are actually good for us. It puts our focus elsewhere and usually we are running around and not focusing on ourselves. It is a good time at those times to have a menu ahead of time so we don't grab something from McDonalds. For instance, this past weekend, I planned and executed a blue and gold banquet for the Cub Scouts. We had about 150 or so people there. I was racing around for days and feeling stressed ( i could tell because my back was sore every night. that's where I stire my stress), but I made a menu for myself the night before and I stuck to it. i didn't get to excercise but each day I lost a pound. i am down 3 pounds in as many days. Now the dinner is over and my stress for the moment is gone but it was a rush and I feel really good. The long term stress that never seems to end needs to be addressed too. Meditate, sit in a corner and stare at a wall, read a book, just give yourself a moment. You need to relax and look at the good things for a minute. I know it is hard. I have three kids and my husband has been out of a job for 2 years. Remember that you are important and that your family would be better off with a happier you. If mama ain't happy, nobody's happy... Find a little peace. HTH