Tired, Sad, and Stressed - Willpower Question

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  • NewMEEE2016
    NewMEEE2016 Posts: 192 Member
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    kshama2001 wrote: »
    NewMEEE2016 wrote: »
    kae612 wrote: »
    I'm dealing with a challenge today, so I'll pose it to the group. How do you exert willpower against easily accessible treats when you're tired, under-slept, sad, displeased with yourself, and stressed? What's your best non-food method of coping with these things?

    I know that over time habit decides food choices. There is nothing inherently wrong with a donut in and of itself, but I would like to start creating healthier habits like distancing myself from junk foods.

    Your answer is in your question. Research shows that lack of SLEEP and STRESS cause your body to release hormones that keep you FAT. Before you think of doing ANYTHING else- make sure that you get a MINIMUM of 8 hrs sleep per night, relax and take care of yourSELF. After you have committed to doing that, everything else will fall into place.
    kae612 wrote: »
    Literally impossible. Not going to get 8h of sleep every night. Never going to be not stressed about assignments. Exercise sometimes means I sleep less but feel better. Taking care of myself & losing weight/being healthier are not mutually exclusive, they are part of the same goal. Being fat & inactive makes my body more stressed. Being stressed makes me fat & inactive. There's no entry point if I wait for things to be perfect.

    Actually, while 8 hours of sleep may not be achievable, I think @NewMEEE2016 has a good point. I believe you've mentioned sleep issues in other threads? How many hours are you getting per night?

    My stress and munchie levels are ever so much more manageable when I get adequate sleep and regular exercise. On the rare occasions when I don't get enough sleep and am battling low-leptin / high-ghrelin fueled cravings, sometimes I give in and sometimes I use cognitive behavioral techniques to resist.

    http://science.howstuffworks.com/life/sleep-obesity1.htm
    http://www.healthcentral.com/sleep-disorders/sleep-deprived-test-3057-143.html
    http://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/healthy/getting/overcoming/tips

    Hi @kshama2001 I shoot for a min of 8, but believe it or not, my optimal sleep requirement is *10 hrs* (reportedly, Einstein also got 10 hrs per night, so I'm in good company :) When I get those hrs, I feel great. When I get less than 8 (some days this week unfortunately- some exceptional life stressors this week) I'm achey all day from my fibromyalgia. NO PAIN AT ALL when I get enough sleep and am not under stress. Even my dietician has recommended *sleep hrs* written into all of her forms right along w/caloric intake. She recommends 8 hrs weekdays, 9 on weekends.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,897 Member
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    NewMEEE2016 wrote: »
    Machka9 wrote: »
    NewMEEE2016 wrote: »
    Machka9 wrote: »
    NewMEEE2016 wrote: »

    Your answer is in your question. Research shows that lack of SLEEP and STRESS cause your body to release hormones that keep you FAT. Before you think of doing ANYTHING else- make sure that you get a MINIMUM of 8 hrs sleep per night, relax and take care of yourSELF. After you have committed to doing that, everything else will fall into place.

    Who gets a minimum of 8 hours of sleep per night?

    I don't think I've done that since I was about 10 years old.

    I'm thrilled if I get about 6 hours/night during the week ... I have a little bit of difficulty functioning on the 5 hours/night I've been getting lately ... and 8 hours/night on Friday and Saturday nights.

    You could say the same of ANY of the things we need to be doing in order to become fitter. "Who eats 1400 calories a day"? "Who drinks a minimum of 8 cups of water?" "Who has time to go to the gym"? "Who logs everything they eat"?

    Who does all these things? People who are committed to becoming as fit and healthy as possible do! Same goes for SLEEP. Research shows that getting enough sleep is absolutely essential to those trying to lose weight. We need to make OURSELVES and our health a priority. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3065172/

    Well ... I've managed to lose my weight without all that much in the way of sleep. In fact, I've lost more during the times when I've been under stress, under pressure, and well under the recommended amount of sleep.

    I suspect that's because during the periods of time when I do have time for, say, 7 hours of sleep a night, I've also got a bit more time to eat. :grin:
    My experience has been just the opposite. Last year I was working a volunteer position that was **extremely** stressful and time-consuming. I got very little sleep and was so busy most days that I forgot to eat- would often have just a couple of yogurts throughout the day. Certainly didn't have time to shop for healthy food or cook. Since I have stopped doing that work and decided to make myself my priority, I am eating much more food and sleeping more and smelling the roses. And the pounds are coming off- *easily*- for the first time in my life. 31 lbs since Jan 1st! :) (I am purposely losing *very* slowly now in an effort to avoid saggy skin).

    In any case- If your hectic lifestyle is working for you, that's great. It's obviously not working for the OP. My advice was to her- and it certainly could not hurt for her to start nurturing herself. Sleep is just one element.

    Ya, I once had a very time consuming volunteer position that interfered with my ability to get enough sleep and exercise. Not Doing That Again.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,897 Member
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    NewMEEE2016 wrote: »
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    NewMEEE2016 wrote: »
    kae612 wrote: »
    I'm dealing with a challenge today, so I'll pose it to the group. How do you exert willpower against easily accessible treats when you're tired, under-slept, sad, displeased with yourself, and stressed? What's your best non-food method of coping with these things?

    I know that over time habit decides food choices. There is nothing inherently wrong with a donut in and of itself, but I would like to start creating healthier habits like distancing myself from junk foods.

    Your answer is in your question. Research shows that lack of SLEEP and STRESS cause your body to release hormones that keep you FAT. Before you think of doing ANYTHING else- make sure that you get a MINIMUM of 8 hrs sleep per night, relax and take care of yourSELF. After you have committed to doing that, everything else will fall into place.
    kae612 wrote: »
    Literally impossible. Not going to get 8h of sleep every night. Never going to be not stressed about assignments. Exercise sometimes means I sleep less but feel better. Taking care of myself & losing weight/being healthier are not mutually exclusive, they are part of the same goal. Being fat & inactive makes my body more stressed. Being stressed makes me fat & inactive. There's no entry point if I wait for things to be perfect.

    Actually, while 8 hours of sleep may not be achievable, I think @NewMEEE2016 has a good point. I believe you've mentioned sleep issues in other threads? How many hours are you getting per night?

    My stress and munchie levels are ever so much more manageable when I get adequate sleep and regular exercise. On the rare occasions when I don't get enough sleep and am battling low-leptin / high-ghrelin fueled cravings, sometimes I give in and sometimes I use cognitive behavioral techniques to resist.

    http://science.howstuffworks.com/life/sleep-obesity1.htm
    http://www.healthcentral.com/sleep-disorders/sleep-deprived-test-3057-143.html
    http://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/healthy/getting/overcoming/tips

    Hi @kshama2001 I shoot for a min of 8, but believe it or not, my optimal sleep requirement is *10 hrs* (reportedly, Einstein also got 10 hrs per night, so I'm in good company :) When I get those hrs, I feel great. When I get less than 8 (some days this week unfortunately- some exceptional life stressors this week) I'm achey all day from my fibromyalgia. NO PAIN AT ALL when I get enough sleep and am not under stress. Even my dietician has recommended *sleep hrs* written into all of her forms right along w/caloric intake. She recommends 8 hrs weekdays, 9 on weekends.

    Sure, it's very individual. I seem to need 30-60 minutes more sleep in the winter (8 hours vs 7 - 7.5) - maybe because I'm not getting enough sun? I do walk outside all winter long, but am covered up. I do supplement with vitamin D.
  • blackmantis
    blackmantis Posts: 165 Member
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    Enjoy the snacks in moderation. Get plenty of sleep because that's when the weightloss happens. Like yourself now and when you lose 1lbs like yourself then. If something feels like stress remove it from your life. When in doubt follow all the steps again.
  • kristinaschmidt129142
    kristinaschmidt129142 Posts: 17 Member
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    A really high intensity work out. After you're finished you'll be exhausted and feel better.

    I've been attending a martial arts class, and every time I have a craving I think to myself "if I still want this after class today, I can have it." Usually when the class ends, I don't want any food, and even when I do, I just burned a ton!
  • dopeysmelly
    dopeysmelly Posts: 1,390 Member
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    Every time you DON'T give in to the inevitable temptation (and they are everywhere, so get used to it), celebrate by telling yourself what an awesome thing you just did by walking straight past those places!!!

    In no time at all, you'll have gone a week, and then a couple of weeks, and you'll be used to it. It will have become a habit.

    You can also sit down and calculate how much money you're saving yourself by not going in there and buying the stuff as well.

    Willpower doesn't really exist IMO. And I echo the sentiments about sleep. I find it's like buying myself big bags of willpower which last throughout the day, and it's good for my healthy besides my weight.

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