Stress eating at work (because I hate my job)

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hippopotamuses
hippopotamuses Posts: 5 Member
in Motivation and Support
I'm currently working nearly full-time while in grad school full-time, and over the past year, my weight has crept up slowly. I started tracking calories over winter break (when I wasn't in school or working) and was pleasantly surprised to find it easy to eat only my set amount of calories. During this time, I was doing a ton of work for school, but really enjoying it. This week, I started classes and work again. Three days in, I'm having out of control cravings and struggling to eat healthily.

I hate my job, and I notice that the cravings are way worse when I'm at work. I have a toxic supervisor who praises me one day and then the next, tells me I don't have a future in my field. In the past, she's threatened to cut my pay by almost half for budget reasons, even though she a week earlier she praised me for all that I had done to keep the department running after everyone but me quit. I never know which version of her I'm going to get on a given day, and I feel panicky whenever she talks to me. I think that's contributing a lot to my desire to stress eat, however, I can't quit this job and afford to stay in school. Any tips about how to manage the stress?

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  • __TMac__
    __TMac__ Posts: 1,665 Member
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    I’m sorry you’re experiencing that. I’ve never found a way to make that sort of stress OK. Life is too short. I’d be looking for a new job.
  • 88olds
    88olds Posts: 4,467 Member
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    “after everyone but me quit”
    Hmmm.

    Two thoughts. One. If hunger isn’t the problem, food isn’t the answer.

    Second, be aware of what’s happening. Weight loss requires concentration. If your old habit was- stress= grab a candy bar - you need to concentrate to break that link. But the problem is you’re under stress, it’s hard to concentrate. You’re in a feedback loop.

    Look on line for stress relief techniques. There’s a ton. Everything from ambient music to worry beads. YouTube has guided meditations, relaxing music, relaxing images. Find something to break the stress/food link. My wife keeps a Buddha on her desk.
  • rockymir
    rockymir Posts: 498 Member
    edited January 2018
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    Not sure if this could come useful but I have been in a situation like this twice at work, where someone I worked with (one time) or my boss (the other time) made me panic with their behaviour.
    Mostly the problem is you are anticipating in your head the negative feeling you'll get from this person. There's very little you can do for turning off that anticipation thing as it's a natural instinct but you can play on it.
    You have to find something funny, better if it's hilarious, about this person -it can be based on her look, habits, way she moves, anything. When she comes around then you have to visualize that and with a little practice it can help you keep control.
    To provide my examples, the one time it was a coworker making me panic I noticed he moved and acted very much like Dino from the Flintstones. You can bet every time he came around I saw a big Dino, worked wonders.
    The other time it was a boss, then it was his behaviour around us, I found him to be very similar to a Dementor from Harry Potter. He had a habit of coming in our workshop from the offices, you'd see him come in the distance, then he'd step in and try to suck all happiness from our workshop. So when we saw him in the distance I'd call my coworkers saying look, here comes the dementor. And Snipe was the second in charge of course, always following him everywhere. Quick, hide Sirius!!
    When he got into the workshop he didn't have much power over us any more, actually we couldn't wait for him to go away to laugh some more at him.
  • JillianRumrill
    JillianRumrill Posts: 335 Member
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    I'm a stress eater. I've found other ways to get around it. Like instead of grabbing a chocolate, I'll grab a tea (no milk, no sugar) because I've made the association in my mind between a hot mug of something and calm/cozy/relaxed. Make it sort of a ritual, take your time getting your tea ready, enjoy the warmth of the cup, and let your mind go to a happier place. Mediation works wonders when you're dealing with stress. Especially if you have to walk on eggshells around a person (believe me, I've worked for a NUN...don't they know how to make a person tow the line!). Find a way to ground your energy and be a pillar of strength, or put up a mental brick wall between you and the person. Let her negative words be a bunch of hot air- in one ear and out the other.
    When you're having one of "those days", take a deep breath, grab a tea, focus on your surroundings instead of on her when she's blovating. You're not responsible for her mental issues. Eventually the storm will pass and you can enjoy your tea in peace.
    Hope that helps. :smiley:
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,576 Member
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    __TMac__ wrote: »
    I’m sorry you’re experiencing that. I’ve never found a way to make that sort of stress OK. Life is too short. I’d be looking for a new job.

    Exactly this!
  • JessiBelleW
    JessiBelleW Posts: 815 Member
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    I think you could try and switch from being a stress eater to a stress drinker? like everytime you get a craving drink a glass of water/ tea.

    Also I hear that you can't afford to go to school without a job but it doesn't have to be this specific job. Look for a new position

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