Stress and weight loss

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xcaranicolex
xcaranicolex Posts: 38 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi everyone! I recently had my second baby (in January). Before kids I had lost around 25lbs using this app by counting calories and exercise. Shortly after having my latest baby I was hospitalized, had surgery, my mother in law was diagnosed w cancer and passed away, my eldest child who has a chronic illness is now going through autism screening and now just a week ago my husband was let go from his job. (I am currently on maternity leave). Ive definitely been stress eating and have gained a few lbs (post baby I was lighter than pre baby) and am obviously wanting to get back at it but am struggling w focus, energy and motivation fluctuating. I guess I'm just looking for other opinions on how to go about this. I don't think I can mentally take on the stress of strict calorie counting and meal prep right now but I feel like I need to do something to at least prevent me from getting further from my goals. I know this is all temporary stress but right now im just focused on getting through each day without a meltdown tbh, ill refocus and recommit when my heads on straight again. What small steps have any of you taken to prevent weight gain as opposed to weight loss? Or what sort of things help keep your head focused when your life feels out of control? any suggestions would be appreciated. I just feel like I'm drowning and don't want to eventually resurface with a huge weight gain.

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  • Maxxitt
    Maxxitt Posts: 1,281 Member
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    The only thing I can suggest, since adding stress from meal prep and strict calorie tracking will put you over the edge, is to have things to eat that aren't hyper palatable foods, which tend to be easy to scarf and amount to a lot of calories. Mindlessly eating baby carrots will do no damage where mindlessly eating chips may.

    What helps me, personally, in a chaotic and awful period is to get outdoors. So I appreciate when the craptastic times are during the warmer months :)
  • apullum
    apullum Posts: 4,838 Member
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    You have a lot of difficult things going on in your life. Have you considered talking with a counselor or therapist? I'm not suggesting that there is anything mentally wrong with you--anyone would feel overwhelmed with all of the things you mentioned. A professional might be able to help, though.
  • xcaranicolex
    xcaranicolex Posts: 38 Member
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    Honestly I've thought about it. I'm mostly trying not to make things worse by adding self loathing from weight gain into the mix
  • liz0269
    liz0269 Posts: 139 Member
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    Maybe just log what you eat. You don't have to do strict calorie counting and meal prep. You can do basic calorie counting and try to eat at maintenance.
  • Justin_7272
    Justin_7272 Posts: 341 Member
    edited May 2019
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    A lot of stress eating can amount to relief through the physical sensations of eating (hand-to-mouth, chewing, taste, etc.) rather than actual hunger.

    For that reason, I tend to agree with Maxxitt; grab some low-caloric density foods (baby carrots, popcorn, cantaloupe) and go to town - this might help relieve some of the stress through physical satisfaction without packing on the calories. I'd also suggest cutting your food into small bites; again, this aims to increase hand-to-mouth movements and chewing, and will (should, at least) also extend the time it takes to eat your food. Finally, drinking more liquids may also help relieve the stress through physical sensation satisfaction, without contributing to large calorie gains.

    Best of luck - you can do it!
  • BeezBeez
    BeezBeez Posts: 41 Member
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    I've absolutely been there, and I'm now dealing with the weight gain a couple years down the road, now that life has calmed down. I knew I was sliding back into bad habits at the time, but I was so overwhelmed with life I ate and drank whatever I wanted for comfort. The best I can tell you is that no food or drink ever helped me destress as effectively as exercise has. If you can carve out just a half hour a day for yourself and go for a hard run or do a workout video (or whatever your favorite activity is), you'll thank yourself. I'll also say don't be too hard on yourself, though. When you really have a lot going on, sometimes working to be healthy just feels like one more obligation. If you can't fit it in, don't beat yourself up. Just do what you can. A little bit of exercise is better than none!
  • BeezBeez
    BeezBeez Posts: 41 Member
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    Also, I just posted a thread asking for advice on destressing on this board and a lot of people had great suggestions! Give it a look! https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10743908/how-do-you-destress
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,910 Member
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    Regular exercise is absolutely crucial to my mental health.

    I don't have a gym membership. I have a small home gym but am not currently lifting weights due to an elbow injury and because it's gardening seasoning.

    We have a small suburban lot and every year or two I come up with a big project that consumes many hours.

    Right now I have a big boring project 12 hour landscaping project that I have been picking away at 45-60 minutes at a time and have about three hours left.

    I have 4 flower beds on my property that I tend to, and am also working in beds at three neighbors.

    I have three raised beds for veggies.

    My city cut down some dead trees behind our fence that were on their conservation land and in the process cleared about a 30 foot strip that gives me lots of extra space to play in.

    https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/worry-and-panic/201505/petal-power-why-is-gardening-so-good-our-mental-health

    ...5. Working in nature releases happy hormones.

    To say that gardening encourages us to exercise and spend time outdoors might seem a statement of the obvious, but it’s worth reminding ourselves that what’s good for the body is also good for the mind. When I’m deeply immersed in writing it can be all too easy to forget this, but when we exercise levels of serotonin and dopamine (hormones that make us feel good) rise and the level of cortisol (a hormone associated with stress), is lowered. It’s true that a session in the garden can be tiring, but it can also get rid of excess energy so you sleep better and ultimately feel renewed inside.

    https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/soil-fertilizers/antidepressant-microbes-soil.htm

    Antidepressant Microbes In Soil: How Dirt Makes You Happy

    Prozac may not be the only way to get rid of your serious blues. Soil microbes have been found to have similar effects on the brain and are without side effects and chemical dependency potential. Learn how to harness the natural antidepressant in soil and make yourself happier and healthier. Read on to see how dirt makes you happy.
  • NovusDies
    NovusDies Posts: 8,940 Member
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    Obviously gaining weight back is also causing you some stress. Stress is cumulative so dealing with it will be beneficial. I suggest setting MFP for maintenance for now. You may not be losing weight but you can avoid gaining it.

    With this in mind I also suggest you look for anything else small that you can easily deal with that causes you stress or annoyance. Even fixing something really small like having a hard time trying to find matching socks in an unorganized drawer can help. For me it also helps to feel positively productive and in control of something when other things feel out of control.
  • ahoy_m8
    ahoy_m8 Posts: 3,053 Member
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    You are going through a lot, OP! I completely agree with you that a big deficit can compound the stress in an already stressful time. Maintenance seems like a very reasonable goal ATM. Getting enough to eat helps me when I'm stressed, and also getting enough nutrition (which for me means eating my fiber, fat & protein minimums). And also getting enough sleep. :sleeping:

    In terms of mental perspective, some people continue meal prepping because it shortens overall cooking time and stress, e.g. 1 hour chopping makes the whole week seem easier. And some people continue logging during a chaotic and stressful time because it is the one thing they can do every day that gives them a sense of control, and it doesn't take much time at all. Food for thought.

    At any rate, I hope you find a couple easy self-care things you can do every day. :flowerforyou:
  • xcaranicolex
    xcaranicolex Posts: 38 Member
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    Thanks everyone. I feel like my post makes it seem like I'm whining and I really didn't mean for it to come off that way, so thank you all for being kind in spite of that lol

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