Stress and weight gain

[AJC1957]

Any ideas about how to cut the relationship between stress/ anxiety and comfort eating?

[klscopeland]

I'd say recognising it is the first step (I used to suffer from this alot and it still jumps up and surprises me occassionally)! I used to write down what it was that was making me anxious or stressed and then reasons for and against food being the answer - by the time I'd done this - the impulse had normally passed. It also used to make the stress/anxiety less of an issue because I'd written it down somewhere if that makes sense?

I also used to bargain with myself that if I still wanted that say 'Mars Bar' by the weekend, then I would schedule it in as a treat.

Good luck - and most importantly don't feel bad if you do cave and eat through the stress - afterall negativity is just yet another emotion that demands to be fed

[AJC1957 in reply to klscopeland]

Thanks for the ideas-sounds good

[Zest Healthy BMI]

Hi AJC1957,

I don't think you can really 'cut the relationship' between stress/anxiety and comfort eating, as they are closely related, but I think it can be good to recognise the occasions when eating is in response to stress and/or anxiety, and maybe look for alternatives to put in its place. Looking for alternative ways to manage the stress - like talking to a close friend about how you're feeling, or maybe trying to problem solve what is making you feel stressed or anxious at the time, and seeing if there are any solutions that could help you - hence trying to put things right rather than turning to food for comfort.

Or maybe going out for a walk, as that is often a good way to help to feel better - just trying to enjoy the walk itself, and even when you don't necessarily feel like the walk, once you've taken a few steps and seen some things outside - just looking at blue sky (or even grey sky!) and birds flying, and flowers or trees, or just cars, buses and bikes - whatever is out there can be distracting and the exercise can help.

Maybe writing a list of things that you have found personally helpful to managing the stress or anxiety, and trying these things out as and when you think they might help - anything to stop you turning to food for comfort.

Keeping the foods 'out of sight' is really helpful - because if you can 'see them' then they can often beckon to you, as if they are old familiar friends, but really they don't offer sustaining comfort, as if you end up eating them, you'll probably end up feeling worse in yourself, so don't be fooled by their tempting facade.

We have a Monday group weigh-in if you fancy being part of a larger group who like to weigh-in - I will be posting the thread on Monday, just before 7am, so if you like the sound of that, I hope you'll join us - just look at my profile and see the past posts I've written, to see examples of past threads - they are all dated.

Whatever you do, I hope you'll find a better relationship between eating and your emotions, as it is a complex relationship and there are lots of ways to try to tackle it. What works for one person, may not work for another, so it's good to try things out to see what works personally for you.

Good luck,

Lowcal

[WeightWarrior]

I only wish I knew, I have the same trouble!

I find that a bad day or two of pain usually kicks off stress, anger, frustration, and a large desire to just binge on the nearest food I spy. So I think Lowcal makes a good point about keeping old familiar "friends" out of sight. The boys here are still working their way through the Christmas goodies box and there is a tin of shortbread just poking out of the top of it. Now, on a normal, reasonable day, I am totally in control and can decide which 100 cal snack I will have that day (I factor one snack in EVERY day for the evening, which is my worst time - it really seems to help a lot). However, the other day, when I couldn't get out of pain, I just wanted to grab the tin of shortbread and chomp through it. I can actually visualize myself doing it now, and I can feel the anger I felt at the time I wanted to do it. I stopped for a moment and came here shouting for help to step away from the tin of shortbread, and help arrived! Yay, I got through it. Ok, I had to "use" 100 cal worth of cheerios, but I ate them one at a time by hand (no milk), and spaced it over about 2 hours or so. The combo of having factored in 100 cals for the end of the day AND the good people of this forum saved me from probably pigging out on a good chunk of that tin of shortbread. So, it wasn't perfect, I still ate SOMEthing, but the 100 cals had already been factored into my day, so it wasn't a total weight loss disaster.

When you aren't feeling stressed could be the best time to plan how you will cope when that stress hits you. I think it takes time to break those kinds of habits, I liken it to someone who turns to alcohol/cigarettes/drugs during times of stress, it is a habit and a coping mechanism, rather than actually being hungry. In the height of the "shortbread stress", I was able to recognise that I was not actually hungry, it was purely stress which was making me feel like turning to food. I think it will be a long journey, and I don't know if I will ever completely cure myself of that unhealthy link between stress and food, but I am certainly trying my very best, and taking each day as it comes.

One of the most important things is, I think, if you fall once, just get up the next day and go back to your healthy eating, don't stress even more about having fallen off the wagon, as that will likely turn you towards comfort eating even more, and it becomes a cycle. I've been in that cycle where I dwell on my failures which makes it worse and worse, and I hope I don't get into it again, I'm certainly fighting it and intend to win at least 90% of my battles (I'm being realistic, not defeatist lol).

We are all behind you and together we are stronger, we can beat this! xx

[AJC1957 in reply to WeightWarrior]

Thanks for the advice. My responses to stress/anxiety are habitual- over many years.

Most of my stress these days relate to work and I am retiring in 7 weeks which should help a lot.

I have also joined a gym and I find the money I am paying out is a great incentive to avoid my cravings !

My husband - who is a diebetic(type 2) is also making an effort at the moment so we are not keeping "naughty" food in the house- also very helpful

[Littlefish76]

Hi! Have you heard of CBT or Conitive Behaviour Therapy? It is used to Retrain your. Brain and try to break bad or unhelpful habits. Take a look at this link, I use it a lot and not just for emotional eating but also for depression, anxiety and for helping me pace my daily activities so I don't over do it and get too tired.

getselfhelp.co.uk/cbt.htm

There is also a very useful book called the Appetite awareness workbook and it helps you to think differently about your relationship with food, why you eat and what your triggers are. See this link:

amazon.co.uk/Appetite-Aware...

I hope this helps!

lF

[AJC1957 in reply to Littlefish76]

Thanks I have used CBT before- maybe just need to focus for longer

[rowan541]

Hi I read somewhere that if you make a bracelet and wear it on the arm you use to get food out of the fridge or packet, it serves as a reminder of what may be almost automatic behaviour. I thought it sounded ridiculous but gave it a try. I crocheted a bracelet in a bright colour and wore it all day and you know, it works! It makes you think before you take that biscuit or piece of cheese. You may still eat it but at least it's a conscious decision and I found that mostly I decided against. I guess it's related to CBT. It's just a tool and it may not work for you but what have you got to lose? Perhaps a pound or two 😃

[AJC1957 in reply to rowan541]

I will have a go

[trynabethingirl]

hey!!!

there is a study that says buying something makes you happy, and everytime you see what you bought you will remember how happy you were when you first got it.

maybe exchange stress eating with shopping.

also, working out should cut down the stress on it own?