Dealing with stress...and other emotions

ljaroch
ljaroch Posts: 64
in Motivation and Support
I don't deal with stress well. When I'm sad, stressed or angry I want to eat and eat and eat to shove the feelings down. My mom has cancer and things have not been easy on her. So many things have gone wrong, so many things have been missed and that just increases the stress level 10 fold. Yesterday she had to go to the ER for dehydration and a possible abscess. I was scared, stressed, upset, and just tired of this stuff happening to her and my first instinct was to consume a bunch of calories. After I calmed down there was a little unnecessary drama at work directed at me and again I wanted to eat, eat eat. I always knew I was an emotional eater but I'm realizing now when things are generally good in my life I can stick to my healthy habits and lose weight, but when these types of stressors come on I crash and burn. Probably something others go through right?

My question is, how do you guys deal with stress? Certainly there are better ways to deal with it, I'm just at a loss at how. Maybe I'm just too tired to come up with any, but I need to make a change. Help!

Replies

  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
    I pretend im running away like a little kid and I go for a run in the evening when I would have had to go home for the night when I was younger. Instead I run in the falling darkness.

    I counteract anything bad that WILL hit me that day by making myself a beautiful picture-worthy breakfast of deliciousness and sexy after an invigorating shower and a happy workout. Then I dare the world to throw something at me that I cant handle.

    I remind myself that if food was therapy, then all chefs and cooks would have psychology degrees and they DO NOT.
  • ljaroch
    ljaroch Posts: 64
    I remind myself that if food was therapy, then all chefs and cooks would have psychology degrees and they DO NOT.

    Oh my gosh I love this so much! I'm going to have to share this with a few friends. The running thing sounds like a good idea. Sometimes I get too much in my own head and can't enjoy it. I need to learn to let things go.
  • ljaroch
    ljaroch Posts: 64
    Bump...come on encouragers!
  • ljaroch
    ljaroch Posts: 64
    Well I'm bumping this up partly to see if I can get more encouragement in general and partly because I need to get something off my chest. My husband is the only person I can talk to about this and I don't want to keep bothering him with my internal struggle. I have no one else to tell because all of my friends are too close to the situation so I thought where can I get this off my chest to people who have helped me in the past.

    In addition to all the stuff that has happened this year, I just found out our company isn't doing well and I am getting laid off. First of all, I've never been fired before and that hurts. Second, I've worked here for 10 years and these people are my family (literally my boss is my brother). Third, we are trying to get pregnant so we assumed we had at least 9 months of a good paycheck but now I have to find another job and I feel really bad doing that knowing that I will be leaving due to a pregnancy (assuming I get pregnant soon).

    Anyway, I'm just wigging out thinking about all the things that are going to change and the things I'll have to give up. I will have to drop my workout group/trainer not just because of the money but because it was right next to work (30 minutes from my house) so I could just workout, shower at work and be in my seat exactly on time.

    There are 100 other points racing through my mind but I won't bore you with them...I'll just say....this sucks.
  • wade78
    wade78 Posts: 141 Member
    Hi There,
    I'm sending you a massive hug from the UK and I am sorry you are going through some pretty tough times. I am also an emotional eater and I have only this year made piece with that fact. That doesn't mean its a good idea to binge when I'm stressed or depressed. My way of coping is to get out of the house and go for a walk or drive to remove myself from food. Dont sit in front of the TV, stay out of the kitchen, just go for a walk. Nine times out of ten that works for me.
    Best of luck and I hope things work out for you and your family.
  • ljaroch
    ljaroch Posts: 64
    Thanks for your reply. It means a lot just to have someone to talk to right now. I've been reaching for the chocolate all day but finally went out for a walk, had a little cry. It was a good thing. I'm really going to have to stick to my guns...and learn how to cope because I don't see this year getting any easier. I didn't used to be a pessimist!

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