I Stress, Therefore I Eat...

As you all know I am dealing with two huge losses right now. My sister in law and then a close friend. I know I am a stress eater. I am really trying not to succumb to the succor food offers me, but I find myself grabbing cookies, having a beer, eating a Chocolate Thunder from Down Under at Outback... Anyway, my goal is to refocus my energy toward working out. So Tuesday, my goal was to eat healthy and ride the stationary bike for at least thirty minutes (I am writing this on Tuesday with every intention of following through when I get home). We'll see what happens today, but I am thinking my need to write will override working out.

In the mean time, I came across this article on health.com and wanted to share the author's 5 tips for beating stress eating.

1. Eat enough during the day. I’ve noticed that if I don’t eat substantial meals that include fiber-packed carbs, low-fat protein, and healthy fats, I usually encounter crazy cravings later. Now, I make sure that all of my meals and snacks include a combination of all three.

2. Keep “trigger foods” out of the house. Cookies, chocolate, and sugary cereal are foods that give me trouble when it comes to portion size. Instead of keeping a bag of my favorite foods in the house, I don’t purchase them, so they are not a temptation. But I do enjoy them on special occasions!

3. Don’t mistake thirst for hunger. In the afternoon, especially right after lunch, I always feel “hungry.” But much of the time, my hunger pangs are satisfied with a big swig of water or a hot mug of tea. A little hydration goes a long way when it comes to dealing with emotional eating.

4. Eat by the clock. If I just ate a meal or a snack, I will try to wait at least 20 minutes before I eat something else. When I wait, I put a buffer between myself and the food, which helps make the temptation go away.

5. Don’t be so hard on yourself. A single slipup like the other night isn’t going to ruin my Lose the Dough goal. And, if I do overdo it, I don’t let it become an excuse to continue to eat poorly. I don’t get down on myself and I make sure to get back on track the very next time I eat.

I am going to work on these things and keep working at this weight loss thing. I gained back all my lost weight, but am not going to be discouraged. I can loose it all again. So back at 197 and starting over. The goal is to get off the See-Food diet and get on with the healthy eating and living. Living being the key word.

Go home today, hug the ones you love and be grateful they are in your life.