Anxiety and Eating Support Please

carrie_strength
carrie_strength Posts: 19 Member
in Motivation and Support
I feel as if I fell off the wagon because a VERY stressful event happened today. I decided to eat to calm my nerves from the stressful event.

I know to be kind to myself. I know to forgive myself and start over in the morning. I just additionally feel that my coping to anxiety and stress are what got me to the extra pounds that I am now trying to shed. I want new habits.

When I felt the stress of the event today affect me I started my positive affirmations, took my prescribed medication, exercised, and ate a healthy snack. I have learned that when I do those things then I can get a hold of my anxiety. Except today I had a 9 on the 1-10 scale of anxiety for 5 to 6 hours. Tonight I broke down and ate chips and salsa and peanut butter and chocolate chips. Within 30 minutes of eating those foods I became relaxed.

Please, any support or advice? Thank you in advance.

Replies

  • mockchoc
    mockchoc Posts: 6,573 Member
    One of the best things you can do for anxiety is exercise and I think going for a walk somewhere nice is a good way to do that. Sex can get your mind off it too if you have that option :wink:
  • everydaypam
    everydaypam Posts: 90 Member
    This is a lifetime of habits that we are trying to change and there will be times that we fall back into old habits. I think that if you hit a 9 on that anxiety scale and your first instinct was to exercise and try a healthy snack that is anything but falling off the wagon, it's a sign that you are making the changes you need to be successful.
  • thistimewillbedifferent
    thistimewillbedifferent Posts: 217 Member
    Have you ever taken a shadowboxing class? It has worked wonders for me. I used to be a very emotional eater, but now when I feel the emotions rising which used to lead me to overindulge, my first instinct is that I want to punch something (not someone, don't worry). The music is fun, the movements are easy to follow, and you work up a tremendous sweat. Good luck finding something that works for you!
  • pinkraynedropjacki
    pinkraynedropjacki Posts: 3,027 Member
    I go to the gym, go for a run, walk or just dance around.
  • Pearlyladybug
    Pearlyladybug Posts: 882 Member
    One of the best things you can do for anxiety is exercise and I think going for a walk somewhere nice is a good way to do that. Sex can get your mind off it too if you have that option :wink:

    this!
  • blackgirlfit
    blackgirlfit Posts: 120 Member
    im opposite of you, when I get anxiety i dont eat (i guess it's a good and bad thing because i tend to be skinnier when im stressed lol) but jokes aside

    whats the feeling you get when you eat those chips? next time you eat those chips ask yourself.. does this even taste good? why am i eating it? what did it make me feel like? was it instant? do i feel guilty??

    one good thing to do is to literally take away all unhealthy snacks.. if you live with other people.. try your hardest to inform them you wanna stay away. ask them for assistance. if you wanna snack on something i would suggest peanut butter.. cant go wrong with that. its protein.. good fat minimal carbs. add some celery to it.
  • carrie_strength
    carrie_strength Posts: 19 Member
    One of the best things you can do for anxiety is exercise and I think going for a walk somewhere nice is a good way to do that. Sex can get your mind off it too if you have that option :wink:

    I will increase my exercise tomorrow. I think I will go to the park for a nice walk. Thank you for the idea. I am single at the moment, but sex does work.
  • donald149
    donald149 Posts: 211 Member
    First of all, I think most people are on here for the exact same reason! My only advice is not to be so hard on yourself. It says you've lost 82 pounds already - that's an accomplishment! We all need the occasional ice cream or cookies splurge (or both) every once in awhile. Remember that a lot of people use food as an emotional crutch and when you remove it, there had better be something there to replace it when you've had a bad day. I think having faith in yourself and being able to let go of your emotions plays a big role. Some how being able to walk away from a restless mind.
  • carrie_strength
    carrie_strength Posts: 19 Member
    This is a lifetime of habits that we are trying to change and there will be times that we fall back into old habits. I think that if you hit a 9 on that anxiety scale and your first instinct was to exercise and try a healthy snack that is anything but falling off the wagon, it's a sign that you are making the changes you need to be successful.

    Thank you so much for your comment. I did not realize that I was successful today at first turning to exercise and a healthy snack. :)
  • carrie_strength
    carrie_strength Posts: 19 Member
    Have you ever taken a shadowboxing class? It has worked wonders for me. I used to be a very emotional eater, but now when I feel the emotions rising which used to lead me to overindulge, my first instinct is that I want to punch something (not someone, don't worry). The music is fun, the movements are easy to follow, and you work up a tremendous sweat. Good luck finding something that works for you!

    No, I have not taken a shadowboxing class. I will look into that this week. I am a teacher, and I am on spring break. You know what I did feel the need to punch something today.

    Thank you!!! :)
  • carrie_strength
    carrie_strength Posts: 19 Member
    First of all, I think most people are on here for the exact same reason! My only advice is not to be so hard on yourself. It says you've lost 82 pounds already - that's an accomplishment! We all need the occasional ice cream or cookies splurge (or both) every once in awhile. Remember that a lot of people use food as an emotional crutch and when you remove it, there had better be something there to replace it when you've had a bad day. I think having faith in yourself and being able to let go of your emotions plays a big role. Some how being able to walk away from a restless mind.

    No, I need to lose 82 pounds. The picture on my pound bar is my before picture, and the picture for my profile is what I look like now.

    Thank you for making me not feel alone. I have been feeling guilty and isolated when I decided to eat "junk food". You are very kind.
  • KatieTee83
    KatieTee83 Posts: 196 Member
    I think what's important is that you are now recognizing the behaviors that you want to change. That's a huge step in the right direction. We all have times when we slip, or give in, or whatever, and the fact that you have changed your thought process enough to know that you're doing something you don't want to do will go a long way towards helping those behaviors to go away in the long term.

    Also, from experience, beating yourself up for stress eating will only lead to more stress eating. And at the end of the day, you didn't eat enough to gain back even 1lb, so wake up tomorrow and start fresh!!
  • carrie_strength
    carrie_strength Posts: 19 Member
    im opposite of you, when I get anxiety i dont eat (i guess it's a good and bad thing because i tend to be skinnier when im stressed lol) but jokes aside

    whats the feeling you get when you eat those chips? next time you eat those chips ask yourself.. does this even taste good? why am i eating it? what did it make me feel like? was it instant? do i feel guilty??

    one good thing to do is to literally take away all unhealthy snacks.. if you live with other people.. try your hardest to inform them you wanna stay away. ask them for assistance. if you wanna snack on something i would suggest peanut butter.. cant go wrong with that. its protein.. good fat minimal carbs. add some celery to it.

    Thank you for your advice! I can not eat when anxious either. It wasn't until I took my prescribed medicine that I ate such crappy food. Being in the south and at my Mama's and Daddy's house did not help either!

    You are right on the money about thinking the next time I eat like that. I will definitely do it.
  • carrie_strength
    carrie_strength Posts: 19 Member
    I think what's important is that you are now recognizing the behaviors that you want to change. That's a huge step in the right direction. We all have times when we slip, or give in, or whatever, and the fact that you have changed your thought process enough to know that you're doing something you don't want to do will go a long way towards helping those behaviors to go away in the long term.

    Also, from experience, beating yourself up for stress eating will only lead to more stress eating. And at the end of the day, you didn't eat enough to gain back even 1lb, so wake up tomorrow and start fresh!!

    You're so sweet! I am going to reread your post tomorrow morning because I feel so inspired tonight reading it, and I want that same feeling in the morning. Thank you!
  • carrie_strength
    carrie_strength Posts: 19 Member
    I go to the gym, go for a run, walk or just dance around.

    thank you! i am going to increase my cardio tomorrow.
  • littlebudgie
    littlebudgie Posts: 279 Member
    Exercising helps reduce how much anxiety I experience overall, and also how severe it is. High-intensity exercise particularly helpful, but anything at all helps. I have an at-need drug that I take for panic attacks, and I haven't needed it for months (almost as long as I've been exercising regularly).

    I may be mangling the science behind this (it was quite a while ago that I learned it), but a therapist told me that while anxiety attacks impede logical thought, they don't impede the part of your brain that deals with sensory experience. This might be why people often find food soothing - the flavour is a strong sensory experience that can help counterbalance the anxiety. There are other things you can do for this, though - kneading playdough, petting a cat, chewing gum, etc. I find tactile and flavour sensations to be the strongest, but maybe sound or smell will work for you.

    Good luck dealing with it. Anxiety sucks, but it can be overcome!
  • dakotawitch
    dakotawitch Posts: 190 Member
    This might be why people often find food soothing - the flavour is a strong sensory experience that can help counterbalance the anxiety. There are other things you can do for this, though - kneading playdough, petting a cat, chewing gum, etc. I find tactile and flavour sensations to be the strongest, but maybe sound or smell will work for you.

    Good luck dealing with it. Anxiety sucks, but it can be overcome!

    Seconding this. I also am living with anxiety and depression, and have been known to self-medicate with food on a bad day. I'm working on retraining myself. I find that allowing myself a small version of what I'm craving helps -- one REALLY good truffle instead of a whole Snickers, for example. I get the taste and mouthfeel of the chocolate, but it's just a little bit. Petting my cats really helps, as do hugs from friends or my partner. I'm also an aromatherapy wonk -- taking a hot shower with some lavender shower gel or even just inhaling some lavender oil for a few minutes helps to bring me down. And some days none of that works, and I just have to ride the wave of the anxiety -- and know that tomorrow will be better.

    Take care of you.
  • carrie_strength
    carrie_strength Posts: 19 Member
    Exercising helps reduce how much anxiety I experience overall, and also how severe it is. High-intensity exercise particularly helpful, but anything at all helps. I have an at-need drug that I take for panic attacks, and I haven't needed it for months (almost as long as I've been exercising regularly).

    I may be mangling the science behind this (it was quite a while ago that I learned it), but a therapist told me that while anxiety attacks impede logical thought, they don't impede the part of your brain that deals with sensory experience. This might be why people often find food soothing - the flavour is a strong sensory experience that can help counterbalance the anxiety. There are other things you can do for this, though - kneading playdough, petting a cat, chewing gum, etc. I find tactile and flavour sensations to be the strongest, but maybe sound or smell will work for you.

    Good luck dealing with it. Anxiety sucks, but it can be overcome!

    Oh, what wonderful advice! My therapist never explained to me about increasing my sensory experience. I usually clean or organize things when anxious. I just was shaking so much yesterday that as I cleaned I was dropping things. I even reorganized my mother's den. I knew I had to stop after a few hours when I dropped her glasses and they broke, which also broke my heart. I was able to fix them enough until she sees the eye doctor.

    Yes, anxiety sucks! I was close to a full blown panic attack yesterday, but I kept thinking positive thoughts, breathing, cleaning, and took my medication. You feel so alone when experiencing anxiety, that although I don't wish it on anyone, I am thankful that there are others like me.
  • kar328
    kar328 Posts: 4,159 Member
    I learned a great breathing technique that helps calm you down. Breathe in through your nose for the count of four - expand your belly, not your chest. Hold the breath for a count of seven, then breathe out for a count of eight, while your tongue is behind your top front teeth and your lips are pursed. Repeat it for four times and there should be a good difference. It's good to do a couple of times a day as an exercise. I taught it to my neighbor who has bad test taking anxiety and she got a 98, after failing the previous test. I usually do that breathing technique on my way to work when it's a night I'm in charge.
  • carrie_strength
    carrie_strength Posts: 19 Member
    This might be why people often find food soothing - the flavour is a strong sensory experience that can help counterbalance the anxiety. There are other things you can do for this, though - kneading playdough, petting a cat, chewing gum, etc. I find tactile and flavour sensations to be the strongest, but maybe sound or smell will work for you.

    Good luck dealing with it. Anxiety sucks, but it can be overcome!
    [/quote

    Seconding this. I also am living with anxiety and depression, and have been known to self-medicate with food on a bad day. I'm working on retraining myself. I find that allowing myself a small version of what I'm craving helps -- one REALLY good truffle instead of a whole Snickers, for example. I get the taste and mouthfeel of the chocolate, but it's just a little bit. Petting my cats really helps, as do hugs from friends or my partner. I'm also an aromatherapy wonk -- taking a hot shower with some lavender shower gel or even just inhaling some lavender oil for a few minutes helps to bring me down. And some days none of that works, and I just have to ride the wave of the anxiety -- and know that tomorrow will be better.

    Take care of you.

    What a nice post from you! I loved you ending your post with, "Take care of you". You are so kind.

    After a bad car accident a few years ago and a break up, I turned to my drug of choice for anxiety: food. I allowed and excused myself to eat all the decedent foods I wanted because "I was soothing myself". Plus, I was on so much steroids for the inflammation I stayed hungry!

    Before the accident I had spent years eating clean, and I mean clean, exercising, and pushing myself to be in control of my emotions and anxiety. I had it licked. Then I fell into this pattern of self soothing myself because I was badly injured and could not walk for almost a year without assistance or feeling pain in my knees, and the concussion exhausted my body. I even lost some memory of the week prior to the accident and suffered from PTSD because I was walking when hit by the car. This exasperated my anxiety to a 10.

    All my self soothing really did was create an unhealthy pattern. I began to use food for anything that made me feel stressed. I just would rationalize it to myself with, "I will start tomorrow eating and exercising healthy".

    I feel strongly God and the Universe teaches us lessons. I know this path of health and owning my choices is a powerful lesson for me. I know without a shadow of a doubt this is the year I take back control of my emotions. I believe in myself again.
  • carrie_strength
    carrie_strength Posts: 19 Member
    I learned a great breathing technique that helps calm you down. Breathe in through your nose for the count of four - expand your belly, not your chest. Hold the breath for a count of seven, then breathe out for a count of eight, while your tongue is behind your top front teeth and your lips are pursed. Repeat it for four times and there should be a good difference. It's good to do a couple of times a day as an exercise. I taught it to my neighbor who has bad test taking anxiety and she got a 98, after failing the previous test. I usually do that breathing technique on my way to work when it's a night I'm in charge.

    Thank you for the advice. I am so happy your advice was successful for your neighbor. I do the 7-11 breathing with my stomach. Seven counts in and eleven counts out. I never heard of changing my tongue placement. I will try it. You are so sweet to post!
  • GLR87
    GLR87 Posts: 17 Member
    I have to exercise almost everyday just to be able to sleep as my anxiety has grown intensely over the last few months. I have recently been using ASMR meditation to help relax and calm me down. If all else fails chug water instead of gorging to release the pain. Peace & love.
  • carrie_strength
    carrie_strength Posts: 19 Member
    I have to exercise almost everyday just to be able to sleep as my anxiety has grown intensely over the last few months. I have recently been using ASMR meditation to help relax and calm me down. If all else fails chug water instead of gorging to release the pain. Peace & love.
    Thank you for your post. I do have to remind myself to drink more water.

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