How do you cope with grief/stress?

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tilzie
tilzie Posts: 13
in Motivation and Support
The last few weeks, have been incredibly difficult and while I am trying with my whole being not to become completely derailled by the events of the 7th of january meant this was almost impossible.

I suppose this post is about me trying to look to the future, and not loosing the work that I had put in before christmas. I guess, Im looking for any guidance as to coping with grief/stress, as my first and natural reaction is to head to the food. Food has always been a comfort for me, and I am well aware of my habits and the fact that they have led me to being an overweight young woman. For me food is a comfort, and the weight is a front to hide behind, but I am truely wanting to change this, I am just really not sure where else I can be looking right now, and I have for the last week or so, turned back to my old ways and sought comfort from the refrigerator.

Any thoughts or opinions would be truly appreciated.

T

Replies

  • amfeierabend74
    amfeierabend74 Posts: 134
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    I have the same problem. I lost my father almost a year ago. I turned to food and ended up gaining almost 40 pounds. I still miss my father very much. What I try to do now to deal with stress and/or grief is to cry when I need to, and to walk/workout when I am stressed or sad. If I still feel the need to turn to food, I try to make sure that I snack on something healthy.

    A big hug for you for whatever you are going through. Please send me a friends request if you need someone to talk to or would like a supportive friend.
  • runnercheryl
    runnercheryl Posts: 1,314 Member
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    I write. My career is as a writer, but my love for writing goes far beyond that. I'm not good at talking, words don't come easily to me and like most here (I imagine) I used to battle my stress with food. However, when I started my healthy lifestyle 15 months ago, I started it with a blog. I filled it in with my thoughts and feelings every day, and I found I was able to write out how I felt, get those feelings off my mind and move on.

    I don't keep a blog any more, but if I'm angry or upset about something I disappear to my office and I write the way I'm feeling in a Word document. I get out all my thoughts and emotions, and then I feel calmer and I save the file to my desktop and walk away. A while later, I let myself go back to what I've written, giving me the chance to look at the problem clearly and work on a solution. If it's something I can then just 'get over', I just delete the file. If not, it stays on my desktop until I've dealt with it appropriately. There's a portion of my computer's desktop that just files my problems for me, but I find that in reality it's usually empty. Once things are written down, they usually seem a lot smaller and I can delete them. In the time it takes me to write, read and delete, I've dealt with an issue. In the past, I'd have eaten a pizza in that time, and there's no way you can just 'delete' those calories from your body when you feel better again.
  • frankie964
    frankie964 Posts: 41 Member
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    Try your best to take one day at a time. Time is the best healer. I can relate to wanting to ead food for comfort, having experienced this my self. What I try and do is stick to an activity schedule and keep busy. By doing activities on a consistent basis will help. All the best.
  • danielssmith
    danielssmith Posts: 34 Member
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    Its very tough, in the past few years I have gone through a lot with death of my father, relocating, serious illness of my partner and now the end of that relationship. And my weight has gone up and down over that time. Logging every day helps. Resetting your goals, for example if now is a tough time then is it the right time to be addressing weight issues, perhaps just maintaining and not putting on more weight is as much has you can do right now. May be a small goal around exercise, may be 250 calories burnt a
    day will force you to get outside for a walk.
    But I would say that if you feel like you are about to cave in come on here and pour your heart out. In most cases you'll find someone else going through the same thing and you will find support.
    And finally good luck and keep going.
  • Kap10
    Kap10 Posts: 229 Member
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    Talk,to friends. family. counselors DO NOT bottle up your feelings. Accept you are going to eat, so focus on healthy but nice things that you will like. Don't beat yourself up,give yourself time to grieve / be sad.Rejoice in what goes right, never focus on the negative.

    The most important is talking to people, don't be embarrassed, have a good old cry on someones shoulder (offer to pay the dry cleaning bill ;-) ).

    Your friends love you and will help you,

    Honest

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