Anxiety Eating

amykluver
amykluver Posts: 184 Member
in Motivation and Support
Ok - I know all the tricks I would tell clients but i need someone to tell me (again) some ideas to combat Anxiety Eating! I'm working FT, a parent to 2 little ones (under 5) and I am going to grad-school. This winter weather is not helping and I'm eating so poorly lately - either to keep awake or when I get home late at night (after work, when everyone else is going to bed or in bed and I'm TRYING to get/stay focused and study).

Tips or ideas appreciated!

Replies

  • MaraDiaz
    MaraDiaz Posts: 4,604 Member
    I know this is going to be difficult, but sleep: As much as you can get whenever you can get it.

    For me, anyway, both my appetite and anxiety are much higher when I'm short on sleep. Plus my immune system sucks and I'm an unhappy human in general, not to mention scatterbrained.
  • daffodilsoup
    daffodilsoup Posts: 1,972 Member
    Pre-plan your meals, whether it's a whole week or just the night before. Prep and log everything - I find that planning out my food makes me feel more in control and less likely to impulse-eat when I'm feeling anxious or flustered.
  • Snow3y
    Snow3y Posts: 1,412 Member
    Drink a large glass of cold water, and keep yourself busy :) swim, do your hobby, gym, play some cards.. anything that keeps your mind active
  • cleback
    cleback Posts: 261 Member
    I totally do this. I try to get enough sleep, learn to say 'no' once and a while, and most importantly, make exercise a priority. One of the biggest benefits of exercise for me is anxiety control.
  • AprilBurns86
    AprilBurns86 Posts: 60
    Could you try chewing some sugar-free gum when you feel that snack attack coming on? It'll keep your mouth occupied without bulking on the cals.
  • TIFJAZJUL
    TIFJAZJUL Posts: 13
    I have learned to keep a water bottle around me all of the time because often when I'm anxious if I just sip on water constantly instead of eating I can get pass the momentary bouts of angst.
  • theCarlton
    theCarlton Posts: 1,344 Member
    Try to address what you're anxious about in a way that actually helps soothe the anxiety. If you need to be distracted from it, read a book/magazine, research something interesting online, go do something outside of the house. If you literally need to be relaxed, take a bath, drink some warm tea, paint your toenails, create a vision board, write in a journal or blog. Food isn't making your anxiety go away.
  • TinaBean007
    TinaBean007 Posts: 273 Member
    It always helps me to journal about whatever is bothering me. If it's an overwhelming feeling of too much going on, then I make lists and create calendars to manage everything.... once I'm done, I take a deep breath and focus on one thing at a time. (Crossing things off a list always makes me feel great.) If you're constantly in this state, I might suggest a white board.

    Also, if it's a panic moment you can:
    - go for a walk
    - listen to music, dance like a crazy person
    - workout
    - chew gum
    - snack on celery/carrots
    - meditate, deep breathing, etc
    - count your blessings (I'm not kidding, it quickly puts life into prospective)
    - drink tea (I call this my thinking time- awesome for sunrise or sunset)

    Hope this helps!
  • Queen_JessieA
    Queen_JessieA Posts: 1,059 Member
    Water, water, water!! Chew gum or if you want something crunchy, try some bell peppers (if you like them). I have heard that noshing on a pickle when craving something sweet will trick your brain. LOL. I need to try that one myself!! I agree with sleep, too. I have three kids (13, 10 and 7) and no matter how much sleep I get at night, I still want to sleep some in the day.
  • JenRunTriHappyGirl
    JenRunTriHappyGirl Posts: 521 Member
    I have sugar free gum or hard candy with me at all times..... helps with boredom eating and anxiety eating!
  • 7631282
    7631282 Posts: 29 Member
    I log my meals ahead of time for the day. That way, I know right off, how many calories are in the plan, how much I will need to exercise if I have plans to eat out that evening, and it makes me look at the menu before I go out, so that I realize up front how many calories I will be eating. I rarely go over by doing it this way.
  • MaraDiaz
    MaraDiaz Posts: 4,604 Member
    I totally do this. I try to get enough sleep, learn to say 'no' once and a while, and most importantly, make exercise a priority. One of the biggest benefits of exercise for me is anxiety control.

    Good point about the exercise. Can definitely help unless you dip so far into your energy reserves that you don't have enough left for the other stuff you have to do. It's a balancing act, get just enough to feel great after your workouts not so much that you're exhausted.
  • PeauxPeaux
    PeauxPeaux Posts: 71 Member
    Can you find the time (or the space) to take up Yoga?

    I am a type A super driven hyper competitive double anxious crazy person, and I used to scoff at Yoga, but then after an injury I couldn't do boot camp anymore...

    I started doing Yoga with a very snotty THIS IS FOR BURNING CALORIES AND BUILDING STRENGTH AND RECOVERING FROM THIS STUPID SURGERY attitude...now, two years later, it has totally seduced me. A regular practice will REALLY lower your anxiousness in general. The breathing, the learning to lean into and breathe into discomfort and just kinda ACCEPT it and be at peace -- it starts happening off the mat, too. My friends who have known me 20 years cannot BELIEVE I practice this and how much it has soothed the raging loon I keep harnessed in my brain pan.


    I practice hot----I am lizardy and I think the heat helps me destress, too. Love Hot Core Power, Power Flow, Hot Vinyasa, and I am now even getting into Bikram.
  • megan1869
    megan1869 Posts: 166 Member
    While I was in law school (doing TONS and TONS of studying) I found myself mindlessly chewing ALL THE TIME! If I didn't have something to chew on I literally could not focus late at night.

    The only thing I found remotely helpful were keeping healthy snacks - celery, grapes, carrot sticks etc. - on hand 24/7. I allowed myself to have as much/little of these items as I wanted while limiting the intake of my favorite fatty items.

    I also signed up for races - 5Ks and half marathons - with my roommate... if you put the $ out for something you are much more likely to force yourself to train and complete
  • lorogers99
    lorogers99 Posts: 5
    Before you reach for food ask yourself if you are really hungry. Is your stomach growling? Has it been a while since you ate? Wait 30 minutes and then if you are still thinking about food then eat something. When you do eat what are you eating? Snacking on raw veggies, fruits, or tuna and crackers are good choices.
  • Supern0va81
    Supern0va81 Posts: 168 Member
    - Sleep - eating to stay awake is too easy

    - Drink green tea to support your metabolism

    - Drink peppermint tea to aid digestion - a groggy digestive system leads to lethargy

    - If your glass of water is empty then fill it up - if i'ts full then you're not drinking enough

    - Eat by routine so your body know's when to expect food - name your mfp meals accordingly so it helps you to stay on track e.g '10:30am snack'. If you are out and about, make it something that you can either buy easily or take with you and have ready to hand.

    - Plan meals ahead

    - Prep meals in advance so they're quick and easily to hand

    - Batch cook and freeze portions

    - Use the quick tools to save your favourite recipes for inspiration later on

    - Use a food processor to chop vegetables up quickly as snacks - they're great to have to hand when your mind starts wandering or whilst you're studying.

    - Work out if you're an owl or a lark and fit your day around that - do the brain intensive chores when you're more awake and the more routine one's when you don't need to invest as much energy

    - Allow your self time to relax as well as exercise - a deficit in either will hinder any goal.

    ...And above all else - don't feel that you are alone in working towards achieving your goals. Weight Loss or Management or Gain can be a really lonely place if you let it be. Stick with it :smile:

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