It’s
another crazy day at work. The phone is ringing off the hook, yet another
co-worker needs your attention, and your boss is anxious for the report that
was due yesterday. So you do what anyone would do in this situation—you grab
some chocolate or a bag of chips to help you deal with the stress. But then,
instead of feeling better, you just feel guilty on top of it all.
If
people only ate when they were genuinely hungry, most of us would never have
weight problems. Unfortunately, emotions drive us to eat more often than actual
hunger pangs. Whether we feel stress, boredom, loneliness, anger or sadness, we
often turn to food to feel better. And while that may work in the short term,
soothing yourself with high-calorie, high-fat goodies usually makes you feel
worse in the long run—the emotions will still be there, along with ten or
twenty extra pounds.
Instead
of reaching for food the next time high emotions hit, try these coping ideas.
In the end, your mind will feel better by resolving your feelings, and your
body will thank you for not filling it with more food than it needs.
All
Stressed Out
While
it’s tempting to deal with stress by eating, there are many healthier ways to
relieve the pressure. Exercise may be the best way to reduce stress levels. Instead
of reaching for a snack when you feel ready to explode, take a quick walk
outside or better yet, hit the gym for a vigorous workout. Any moderate to
intense physical activity will lower your stress levels and help you deal with
your problems more effectively. Try running, shadow boxing or even gardening,
as many people find working with the earth to be soothing.
By
exercising regularly, you can also help prevent stress from building up to
unmanageable levels in the first place. Meditation, yoga and visualization will
also help you feel calmer and more relaxed.
Bored
Out of Your Mind
If your
weeknights are filled with TV watching, and every Saturday night brings the
same old video and a pizza routine, it’s time to break out of your rut. Many
times we eat out of habit without even thinking about what we’re doing,
especially when we're mindlessly munching while watching the tube.
If
you're eating to prevent boredom, then get off the sofa and try a new activity.
Go dancing, bowling or skating for an inexpensive night out that doesn’t
revolve around food. Mix up your routine as much as possible—if you usually
talk to your friends on the phone, drop by for a face-to-face visit. You can’t
eat if your hands are busy, so try painting, knitting or playing an instrument
to keep your hands occupied. If you have free time, find an organization that
needs volunteers and help out. Many people associate home with food and don’t
eat if they’re not in their regular surroundings, so spending time out of the
house keeps them from munching.
Lonely
Hearts
Loneliness
can also prompt eating to symbolically fill the void you feel inside. Instead
of filling up on empty calories, work on building stronger social networks.
Volunteering is a good way to meet new people, as is enrolling in an evening
class to learn a new skill. Making friends as an adult can be difficult since
it requires a concerted effort to make a real change. If people aren’t coming
to you, you will have to go to them. Don’t sit around waiting for the phone to
ring—people are busy and might not realize that you need their attention unless
you approach them first. You might learn that they are just as lonely as you
are but were afraid to reach out to anyone.
So
Angry You Could Eat a Whole Cake
Were
you taught that it’s not nice to express anger? Many people are conditioned to
bury negative emotions like anger instead of dealing with issues openly. So
instead of working through their anger constructively, they eat their way out
of their emotions.
What
works for relieving stress—exercise, deep breathing, meditation—can also help
relieve anger. While this gets rid of some angry energy and can help you calm
down, it’s important that you deal with the initial cause of your anger. Talk
to the person who may have upset you, or write about the issue in a private
journal to clarify your feelings without hurting others—you can keep the words
to yourself or show them to the other person.
A Good
Cry
Many
people are uncomfortable with sadness and some automatically think it’s a sign
of weakness. It’s okay to feel blue some days and it’s natural to have
emotional ups and downs. It helps to be able to pinpoint what prompted the
emotion in the first place. If a bad argument with a friend leaves you feeling
blue, for example, you can work on patching things up instead of eating to
console yourself. But don’t forget the power of a good cry! Crying can help
reduce stress and really help you feel better. Plus it’s much healthier than
eating a bag of cookies!
If you
feel sad or weepy but don’t know why, try journaling for a week to see if the
reason is revealed to you. Persistent sad, hopeless feelings that last for two
weeks or more can be signs of depression that you should discuss with your
health care provider.
Did you
know that the simple act of smiling can make you feel happier? As cheesy as it
sounds, smiling when you’re feeling down seems like one way to fake it until
you make it.
Because
your mind can only think one thought at a time, you can change your mood by
changing your thought. If you’re angry or sad, stop thinking about the person
or event that caused your emotion and switch to a thought that makes you feel
happy or calm. Get your mind off your problems and onto something positive. Try
it next time you’re tempted to improve your mood with food…and you might not
need that cookie after all!
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