Wow so much activity on the blog, this is fantastic! Thanks to those who have already done their intro's, they have been so fun to read and I can't wait to read the rest of them.
I just have two quick things I wanted to clear up. First) Posting points: I will create a post at the end of the challenge for everyone to post their points, so just keep track on your own until then. Second) Posting/Commenting: Just want to reiterate that you are welcome to post about anything, anytime you want (within reason) also feel free to leave comments as often as you can. Right now their is a lot going on so commenting on every post can be overwhelming and sometimes unnecessary, but don't hesitate to jump in and give support, advice, encouragement etc. where you can. It is the interaction on this blog that will make it successful.
Okay on to my rambling. After reading about Marilyn's sad news and her wanting comfort food (my heart and prayers go out to you Marilyn and that family) I started to think about my own relationship with food and how emotionally attached I am to it. I have often searched for ways to cope with my emotions that don't involve food but since it is still a struggle for me I would love to hear any ideas you might have on the subject. So what do you do or what have you tried to help you deal with stress and emotional times that don't send you scrambling for the nearest comfort food?
That is the million dollar question. Actually, I am reading a book right now called 'Running with Angels' by Pamela Hansen. She is a woman who started gaining weight after one of her twin girl's died from a heart defect shortly after birth. Her struggles with weight stemmed from comfort eating and the stress and depression she felt. After the birth of her last child, a stillborn boy, she finally just started walking every day. She started realizing that she was not living life fully and she needed to take care of herself. As well as walking, she realized that all the weight loss plans she tried were not working because she hadn't made herself accountable to anyone other than herself - so she joined Weight Watchers. She lost around 100 pounds and ran a marathon.
ReplyDeleteSorry this is a long comment. I am not sure if it really answered the question of how to deal with stress in other ways, but I think exercise is a good one - even if it is just a stroll around the neighborhood.
For me. I have to understand and deal with the emotion. This takes time and self-reflection. I write and write and write. My journal is open, by the couch, waiting for me as a proper sounding board.
ReplyDeleteI thoughtfully read many psychology books that help me deal with conflict and feelings. My favorite is "I'm a day late and a dollar short...and that's okay." by JoAnn Larsen. It's out of print but you can find it easily on ebay. I felt her book most understood me as a Mormon stay-at-home mom.
One thing I've just recently discovered about myself (after months of journaling)is that I actually no longer eat when emotional (I have good strategies) but when I'm tired and thirsty. I have to take a 20 minute nap in the afternoon or I'll relax in front of the TV with whatever food is in my hands. I have to reset my brain with some z's. And I have to go to bed when my body is ready. It's much earlier than I thought.
When I crave sweets I know I'm dehydrated. A big glass of water does it for me. When I'm eating balanced with a protein, friut/veg, and grain I do not crave dessert of any kind.
Anyway, that's how I've started tackling the issue of emotional eating. It is not a quick fix but so rewarding when you really try to get to know your mind and body. My weight is still high but it's gradually coming off, which is perfect for me. And I'm more accepting of myself and happy with who I am than I ever was when I was thin.
Sigh, I just wrote a huge comment then when I went to publish it- it got lost. Oh well. Probably good that you all don't have to listen to my long ramblings again.
ReplyDeleteThe gist of what I said was that I am still trying to figure out the emotional eating thing that I learned growing up. Each event had food associated with it- celebrations, birthdays, parties, church events, sickness, sadness, etc. I have realized that I need to figure this out really have to be aware of the times I feel sad, depressed, or bloated and feel that I MUST have chocolate to make me feel better. I really have to rely on my Savior to help me through these times and realize I don't need food to make me feel emotionally better. I also try to watch chic flicks, pour myself into a good novel, or try to serve someone else are ways that help me get through the emotional eating times. I know this, but am still working on this and am thankful for all of your comments and suggestions as to how to deal with these issues in my life. You are all awesome and I'm very excited to learn from each of you. This is something that isn't a quick fix but I will keep working on this every day:)
Haha, this blog is better for me than I realized when joining it! While reading your post and all of these comments I actually found myself desperately trying to defend social and emotional eating. My plan was to just silently click out of this post and pretend it never happened and go comfort myself with a piece of chocolate.
ReplyDeleteThen the dinosaur from Toy Story came into my head "Great, now I have guilt." as well as that scripture "wicked find the truth to be hard."
In one split second this whole thing turned from blissful ignorance to downright repentance! Looks like I'm going to have to start at square one and begin with praying for the desire to change and then go from there. This is hard!!! You people are amazing!