Does anyone have a fix for stress that isn't food?

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24

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  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
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    exercise...barring that...a nice stiff....drink always helps me.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    edited April 2015
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    Exercise, video games, sex (even if it's just you), phone a friend, waste a few hours on MFP

    ETA: Music. Something upbeat that you like. No 'crying in your beer' songs!
  • laura3977
    laura3977 Posts: 191 Member
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    I'm with @scottacular - 2 cookies and a piece of chocolate as a "cheat day" sound pretty sad :wink: but if that made you feel better and you were still at a deficit then good for you!!!

    As for stress relief ... Sex :blush: , singing, massage, mani/pedi, Netflix, just generally vegging out (I know you said you'd been busy but sometimes it's good to give yourself a break), someone mentioned counting blessings and I think that's great too!

    Hope the rest of the week improves and that you enjoy your weekend!! :smile:
  • mygnsac
    mygnsac Posts: 13,413 Member
    edited April 2015
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    I'm sorry you are having such a bad week. I hope it gets better!

    Walking it off often helps me. Also, another great stress reliever for me is light meditation. I started doing this last year and was really surprised at how much stress floats away after a few minutes of this. I just go sit somewhere, close my eyes, breath in and out slowly through the nose, and just focus on the act of breathing, imagining the air entering and exiting my body.
  • nainai0585
    nainai0585 Posts: 199 Member
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    Smoke "some" weed, put in the head phones, and head out for a long walk with the dog.
    OR
    Smoke "some" weed, put in the head phones, and drift off into space.
    OR
    Do my weight lifting routine, then smoke "some" weed, then relax.
  • laura3977
    laura3977 Posts: 191 Member
    edited April 2015
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    tibby531 wrote: »
    davis_em wrote: »
    Running. And singing. Sounds stupid, but if a run doesn't fix my mood, singing a couple of songs almost always makes me feel better. :flowerforyou: I hope you find something that helps.

    work out, or lock myself in the car, turn the radio up as loud as it will go and try to be heard over the speakers. I call it "constructive screaming." ;) I start with something really hard, screamy, then slowly but surely switch over to funny/silly songs. try feeling all ugh-status while singing along to "what does the fox say?" ;)

    just let it out!

    It's pretty much impossible to have an ugh-status day if "What Does the Fox Say?" is playing!
  • tulips_and_tea
    tulips_and_tea Posts: 5,715 Member
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    ahoy_m8 wrote: »
    egrant13 wrote: »
    Exercising usually emphasizes my mood, whatever it is, but it does make me feel better later so I'm still doing that.

    I kind of lingered over this and wondered if we're having the same experience but perceiving it differently. My mind wanders all over the place when I run. It's my favorite part, actually. Sometimes I'm surprised how much aggression comes up, and I wonder where the heck that came from. E.g. I might imagine a future scenario where someone does me wrong and anger energy works up and out. Or sometimes it's a current point of conflict that the scenarios revolve around. My perception is that running is helping me get this aggressive energy OUT, and is helpful for that. In the last half mile, I reflect on where my mind went and what that tells me. You know, honestly, sometimes it is just hormones! But I think of it as releasing, not emphasizing. Does that make any sense?

    Yes, I do my best problem-solving during my cardio sessions. Sometimes solutions or answers pop into my head without me specifically focusing on that one topic. I keep track of my workout, of course, but I let me mind wander where it wants. It is an interesting experience sometimes.
  • tibby531
    tibby531 Posts: 717 Member
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    laura3977 wrote: »
    tibby531 wrote: »
    davis_em wrote: »
    Running. And singing. Sounds stupid, but if a run doesn't fix my mood, singing a couple of songs almost always makes me feel better. :flowerforyou: I hope you find something that helps.

    work out, or lock myself in the car, turn the radio up as loud as it will go and try to be heard over the speakers. I call it "constructive screaming." ;) I start with something really hard, screamy, then slowly but surely switch over to funny/silly songs. try feeling all ugh-status while singing along to "what does the fox say?" ;)

    just let it out!

    It's pretty much impossible to have an ugh-status day if "What Does the Fox Say?" is playing!

    right? it's like a 3 minute, 45 second day-refresher. :)
  • egrant13
    egrant13 Posts: 8 Member
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    Oh my goodness... these responses.... I'm laughing pretty hard now. Some of these are great, and I will definitely try. Others just made me laugh... Thank you everyone! What awesome support! And to everyone who is hating on my cheat day, eating sugar significantly alters my mood for the worse, so that's why I try to just avoid it as much as possible (I just couldn't last night! I'm all for instant gratification!). Maybe a cheat meal would be a better idea than that, though, actually. Mac and cheese and pizza cheat day :).
  • jrline
    jrline Posts: 2,353 Member
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    walking is always good for me to relieve stress
  • TiffanyR71
    TiffanyR71 Posts: 217 Member
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    A good laugh!
  • SwankyTomato
    SwankyTomato Posts: 442 Member
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    Cleaning. When the house is clean, I am more relaxed.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,426 Member
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    egrant13 wrote: »
    What do you guys use besides food to improve your mood?

    Meditation
    Positive thinking
    Exercise
    Cleaning
    Reding or watching something funny
    Sex
    A hot bath
    Listen to music
    Talk to and pet animals
    Focus on someone else instead of me

  • maidentl
    maidentl Posts: 3,203 Member
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    I do, but it's shopping so that might not help you. :laugh:
  • cmcdonald525
    cmcdonald525 Posts: 140 Member
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    jkwolly wrote: »
    Wine.

    Lol I like you!

    I found a 3 mile route through my neighborhood. Whenever I get stressed out our have a bad day, walking/jogging that route with my headphones in and music blaring is absolute therapy!
  • AmazonMayan
    AmazonMayan Posts: 1,168 Member
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    A really good cardio workout helps me.
  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,627 Member
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    hot baths, run, workout, paint, create, read, sex, more sex, but not bad sex only good sex, drink, but not too much cause then you're like my mother and thats not good
  • PeachyPlum
    PeachyPlum Posts: 1,243 Member
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    I keep my bookmarks in my browser full of blog posts so funny that I'm in tears reading them.
  • RaeBeeBaby
    RaeBeeBaby Posts: 4,245 Member
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    Get outside and do some deep breathing. Qui gong, Yoga, walk around the block, climb some stairs, personal dance party, gardening, putt some discs, play with my dogs.

    When all else fails, call my mother and b*tch about it while I drink a glass (or two) of wine.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,868 Member
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    - lifting weights
    - going for a run or a ride or even a walk
    - yoga
    - meditation
    - massage therapy
    - sex
    - etc, etc, etc...

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