Stress and Anxiety, the effect on eating

nau05242

Hi Everyone,

This is something I’ve wanted to talk about for a while so I’m finally getting round to it.

I find that in stressful periods my eating and attitude to food/having a healthy lifestyle changes.
For instance, the last fortnight I have been feeling up beat about my life and feel like I’ve been on the right track. Then on Friday after work I had planned to pop to the supermarket for a few grocerys (to make the oat bran pancakes I have for breakfast on week days) prior to going to 2 classes at my local Gym. I had 2 hours to commute from work, grab the groceries and get to my class. I was struggling for time but managed to rush around and was going to make it to the Gym on time but then realised I had forgotten part of my workout gear. Queue melt down as if it was the end of the world followed by stopping at a local convenience store and picking up a trolley full of junk food. I then proceeded to eat terribly for the whole weekend to the extent that I felt over full, bloated, had stomach cramps and just generally felt ill for 2 days.

In hind sight I should have nipped home, collected my gym kit and then gone to my class late or missed the first but managed the second. I just wanted to ask if anyone else has strange lapses like this after a long week or when things don’t turn out like they planned. I have a fairly stressful job as a consultant Design Engineer but looking back I think maybe I was just hungry and tired from eating too few calories for a prolonged period.

I’m happy to listen to everyone’s opinion on this so please don’t hold back in fear of insulting me.

E

Llyrian

I understand where you're coming from on that. I haven't been going out with friends much lately because it's cold and it's too much temptation to eat and drink over my allowance, but now my home and work lives have both been very stressful and I feel like I don't have anywhere that's my own sanctuary to destress. I got so frustrated last week with everything that I just decided "screw it" and while I didn't opt for junk food, I still thought I'd "treat myself" and make a rather high calorie meal. Then the next day I felt the same way and got a bottle of wine. And now I have a 3 lb gain in a week.

I know we all slip up sometimes but it's also hard to remind myself that old "nothing tastes as good as thin feels" adage when my stressed out self just requires instant gratification. What I really need to do is find other things I enjoy and use those as ways to relax and treat myself instead of eating and drinking. At the very least, one meal of cheating isn't as bad as letting the whole weekend go downhill.

And yes, never go grocery shopping hungry.

nau05242

Thanks for your reply Llyrian,

It's good to get some reassurance about my crazy tendency’s. I will not be grocery shopping on Friday afternoons in future!

Llyrian

I think we all do it, honestly, or we wouldn't be here!