Stress relief/ management tips please

Options
Whitezombiegirl
Whitezombiegirl Posts: 1,042 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Usually when I'm stressed I binge for days untill all the junk i bought is gone.

So last night was majorly stressfull- tears and everything. Pretty serious family stuff. So , i did'nt binge and ate a healthy dinner (but I shopped online and bought an expensive skirt I don't need- which is my other go-to!). My partner and I are suffering with heavy colds right now so exercise was out of the question, and a hot bath did'nt appeal.

I still feel frustrated - like I haven't released all the built up tension. So my question is- do you have any tips for releasing the tension and dealing with stress (other than eating or shopping!)

Thanks

Replies

  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    Options
    Hit the gym ...exercise hard ..do boxing

    Go for a walk, walk fast, play loud music and strut

    Mindfulness meditation

    Long hot soaking bubble bath

    Hot Sex

  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    Options
    Of course snotty cold affects some of these ...but not wrapping up and going for a walk
  • paul_phish
    paul_phish Posts: 7 Member
    Options
    you need to engage your mind in something so you are pulled away from cravings.. It could be watching films that make you think.. films with sub titles are good as you cant afford get distracted.. utube is good for free non English films... currently im doing personal study on diet and nutrition .. once i start reading time goes and it's bed time..
  • michael1976_ca
    michael1976_ca Posts: 3,488 Member
    Options
    Tension ball, write personal journal
  • cheshirecatastrophe
    cheshirecatastrophe Posts: 1,395 Member
    edited February 2015
    Options
    Besides working out?

    -Online "window" shopping. I like international sites so I know I won't order anything.
    -Sporcle quizzes
    -Massage or, uh, personal massage (lol, clearly I am in an LDR and @rabbitjb is not)
    -Arts & crafts--I like macrame, tying knots over and over and over and eventually (very eventually) you have jewelry or whatnot. It requires some practice, but *zero* natural talent. Zero.
    -Origami
    -TV Tropes will eat your life (but don't say I didn't warn you).
    -Call a crisis hotline
    -Be around other people
    -r/writingprompts
    -Get in bed under the covers with a book
    -Make lists :)

  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    Options
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    Hit the gym ...exercise hard ..do boxing

    Go for a walk, walk fast, play loud music and strut

    Mindfulness meditation

    Long hot soaking bubble bath

    Hot Sex

    IN!
  • FinFoxPT
    FinFoxPT Posts: 106 Member
    Options
    I like Rabbitjb's reply!

    Honestly you need to sever that connection to food being the route of your resolve. It's so hard but forcing yourself to give yourself a; head massage, footspa, manicure, meditation etc will transfer all that need for food into where it should naturally come from...YOU! Maybe look at your diet too. You should only crave foods that your body needs for nutrition. Any other craving is mixed up brain chemistry ie sugar/starchy carbs etc. If you have artificial sugars in your diet this will majorly screw up your natural rhythm, they are manufactured to make you crave what you dont nutritionally need.

    Don't be hard on yourself either, now is the time to sleep, up the fluids and work on whats really going on. Stress is a symptom of a bigger issue, food is just painting over the cracks. Yeah it sounds simple i know!

    Hope this makes sense, best of luck!
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    Options
    I like rabbit's responses too!

    If exercise isn't an option for me, journaling and listening to music are go-tos, as well as simply forcing myself to sit with the feelings or to meditate. Music actually helps with this for those whose natural reaction is to run from the feeling--which is what stress eating and shopping are symptoms of--as if you aren't yet comfortable enough to be with the feeling (though you should work on this--you'll learn that you can) you can channel it through emotional music or else, if you must, distract yourself that way. Or both.

    It's definitely something I've had to work on a lot.
  • emmooney235
    emmooney235 Posts: 85 Member
    Options
    I turn on something mindless on tv that i can half watch and then i settle in with a crochet project or cross stich. Both require attention and focus and i find it almost meditative. You can go to any craft store and get the supplies you need. I'm self taught on crochet, i love YouTube! Reading an incredible book series (Game of Thrones, Harry Potter, Wheel of Time, or if your a history buff start reading Phillipa Gregory's York and Tudor novels). Reading is tough because of the mindless snacking I've done in the past.
  • eapple87
    eapple87 Posts: 50 Member
    Options
    When we are stressed our bodies naturally begin to go into this panic mode. You might notice you're more sweaty but cold (clamy) and that your breathing becomes irregular and quick.
    You can actually trick your body into thinking you're calm with breathing exercises. Once your body relaxes it's so much easier for the mind to follow. Plus during your breathing exercises you'll likely calm the kind by focusing on the breathe. Inhale deeply, suspend the breathe, exhale completely, and repeat. Aim for one breath per minute as a goal but work your way up to that.

Categories