[owensmommy4]

I have so many things happening right now that the diet has taken the back burner. Not that I'm too busy per se, because I actually do better staying on plan when I am very busy. It's too many emotional issues going on and i am increadibly stressed. I am facing the very real possibility that in a month or two I will not have a job or in the very least my job will be changed drastically, my grandmother whom I am very close to had to be placed in a nursing home and only has a few months to live and my husband who is a good man, just doesn't understand why I'm stressed about money that may potentially be gone soon (he appearantly thinks that there is an endless supply of money and that bills pay themselves!) I have not really gained any of my lost weight back I've been hoovering around the same weight but I know that it will bounce up at some point. my friend who is also doing WW has lost 20 pounds more than I have and she told me today that she "feels bad for me" because she has lost more than me. (However she started out 60 pounds heavier than me) Umm...OK. I know that I need to do this for me, but I'm having a hard tome dealing with all of this and usually the way to deal is to eat, even though I know that I feel better when I'm on plan. Thanks for listening and letting me vent.

[CountingDown]

First, stop and breathe, repeat.

Now - being stressed and busy doesn't mean that you can't be on plan. Don't think of it as a "diet". Think of it as giving your body the life-giving fuel it needs to get you through your stressful times ahead.

Seriously - I FEEL so much better when I eat healthy foods. When life gets tough, eating healthfully is even more important

Surround yourself with quick, easy "go-to" foods that fit your plan. You CAN do this. Value yourself enough to take care of YOU!

I find that I MUST balance my life when things get stressful. I must take time te eat right, exercise and meditate/pray.

So - take care of yourself, first - your body, mind AND spirit will thank you for it.

[Heather]

I tend to eat when stressed, too. But I have learned that I actually handle the stress better when I eat well, exercise, and get enough rest (or as much as I can). So I am making ME a priority, knowing that if I do that, everything else will be a little easier.

Good luck!

[Thighs Be Gone]

I would like to ditto all that CD said.

Also, put your sleep, nutrition and exercise all the way at the very top of that list--above all else. I feel so much better now that I do and I am much more equipped to deal with what is.

Good luck (and we all know it has nothing to do with luck) and God Bless. YOU CAN DO THIS.

[juliastl27]

im a stress/emotional eater. i made a post a few weeks ago about how a dear friend of mine had died. instead of running to the cookie jar, i actually took time to DEAL with my feelings and ended up feeling a lot better.

i know its so much harder during stressful times, but life is just one thing after another. you have to try to find ways to deal with your stress other than eating, because stress is the one thing that will never go away.

i hope you are okay and im terribly sorry you had to deal with all this. i dont mean to be harsh at ALL and i totally relate.

[bargoo]

You are going to eat anyway. Why not eat healthy food ?

[ringmaster]

I got this from another post.. someone said when everything else in our lives is hectic and we have no control, the one thing we do have control over is our diet and what we put in our mouths. Just make healthy choice for 3 meals and some fruit for snacks. you could hold off on calorie counting (or whatever plan) if it's too much work, just continue make healthy food choices.

Exercising is a great stress reducer for me.. and I feel more in control of my eating when I exercise since I don't want to undo all my hard work. Even if you can do just 20 minutes- like the 30 Day Shred can pack a tough workout in just 20 minutes... or any workout you enjoy.

[losermom]

I agree with the other posters. DH is pretty sure that he will no longer have a job after November. We found out about this in August and he has basically been on a furlough since late August. He goes back to work in 2 weeks and I will miss my house husband. I decided that I could either use this stress as an excuse to gain weight back or continue to take the very best care of myself that I can--it's not like it costs any more to take care of myself. I'm not going to lie, it has been difficult and I do want to eat sometimes, but I've kept up my exercise because it does reduce my stress. I tell myself food is not the answer to my problem. And I've done pretty well overall. We can't stress about the future. We just have to do the best we can today!

[rachinma]

Take a few hours on a Sunday to do food prep and then it is all ready and available to you all week long. It's a bit of a pain, but I find that being in the kitchen alone with music (and, to be honest, sometimes wine!) is calming.

You have to eat anyway. Why not get all the healthy stuff ready, so you won't grab anything junky?

Hang in there. It has to get better, right?

[JustBeckyV]

I agree with the others.

My thoughts are I am not dieting - I am choosing to eat healthier and make better choices for myself. It's not a diet thing it's about what I need to do to make the changes in my life for the better.

If you can't do it all the way right now because of what is going on -- pick a few things that you won't get rid of. Maybe drinking more water or eating your full veggies every day. Something that is still healthy for you.

Hope things are better for you soon!

[rockinrobin]

I used to be a tremendous stress eater.

But that's stopped. Once you get these new, good and healthy eating habits down pat, once they become your new "way of life", they don't go away, you don't abandon them due to stress. Or happiness, anger, boredom, whatever. It's just what you do. You lead a healthy lifestyle. Period. REGARDLESS of what's going on in your life. Okay. I'm stressed, so what of it? I still shower, brush my teeth, get my kids off to school, pay the bills, eat well, exercise, etc.

And wouldn't you know it, when all around me is crazy and out of my hands, staying WITH those healthy habits have turned out to be a HUGE comfort. HUGE.

[losermom]

I agree with Robin. Despite all of the stress our family is going through, I am feeling ok with it. It will work out for the best in the end. And I am proud for taking care of myself, because I am able to take better care of my family too.

[kaplods]

I'm a stress eater, but the types of foods I prefer when stressed (and will find myself eating, if they're available and I'm not paying attention) only contribute more to the stresses. High sugar, fat, starch foods don't just result in weight gain, for me. They also trigger flares of my arthritis, fibromyalgia, and autoimmune disease.

I was less careful these last few weeks before and after our move (still paying attention, but less careful with my choices), and not only have I gained several pounds, but my face has broken out in patches of scaley rash (the dermatologist says could be seborrheic dermatitis or psoriasis, autoimune either way), and I'm in a bad pain flare. My joints are killing me, and I have a pounding headache. I hate to think how I'd be feeling if I'd thrown caution to the wind, and gone off my food plan entirely.

I didn't always have such an extreme reaction to eating poorly, it built strength over time, but if I'm honest with myself, even when I was a kid, eating poorly made me feel "yucky."

When you're under stress, it's even more important to eat in a way that gives you maximum resources to defend against the stressors. Good sleep paterns, exercise, healthy eating - they're even more important in times of stress. Stress depletes your immune system, so does sleep deprivation and poor eating habits (there's tons of research support for this) so your health is even more important in times of stress.

Stress hormones can interfere with weight loss, because they can make you hungrier, and may even lower metabolism. So, you may find it a challenge to maintain your weight, much less lose, but even maintenance will require "dieting" in the sense of paying attention to what you're eating.

During stressful times, I've often abandoned my food and exercise plan, without exception gaining weight, rather than losing - and feeling lousy to boot. While you may not be able to devote as much time to yourself as you'd like during stressful times, please don't abandon yourself. It's not just weight gain that's at stake.

[owensmommy4]

Thanks everyone, I know I'm just making excuses and I need to stop moping and get to it! Thanks for getting me back to perspective. Excercise is a stress reliever for me, but there just isn't enouph time in the day, but I am trying to work it in when I can. You all are great support, thank you

[Havisham]

Hi, there,
I wanted to also add my support and encouragement....but as well, I think it's always a good idea to give yourself a break. We're all human, and if we're doing 99% perfect health habits, then the occasional 'slip' isn't too terrible.

I'm a big believer in the GI diet - it's worked well for me in the past and I'm trying to get back on board. Anyway, the Dr who wrote it (who's a cardiologist and was president of the Heart and Stroke Assoc of Ontario for years) says that as this isn't a 'diet', it's a lifestyle change, then as humans there are going to be times when we 'slip'. He says that we should allow ourselves a 10% 'cheat factor' (my term). He says that the occasional slip is fine, as long as it's occasional and we moderate it. I know that when I lost 60lbs in six months (and felt amazing) we allowed for two 'cheat' meals a week and still did great.

Anyway, all that rambling is to say that if things are bad and you treat yourself to an 'off diet' meal, it's not the end of the world. We're not in prison and we're allowed every now and then to indulge. For me, there are times only a chocolate bar will do - so I eat it and then move on. So, I wanted to say that IF you slip, it's ok - take it as a one off and move on. You're human...give yourself a break.

All that said - if you can only slip a little and remain mainly on track, you WILL feel so much better when all the stress is done.

I'm thinking all good things for you - I know it's a stress .... hang in there!