100 lb. Club - Good ways to deal with stress?

I have always had food problems, but after I quit smoking it got worse.
When I am stressed out, I eat. I don't want to do anything else but eat. I feel too stressed to even entertain the thought of exercising instead.
I do exercise regularly, and I try to control my worries and just let things happen. But that doesn't always work.
I do have to say that my stress level must be quite high to get this way - for example: When I have to go to the hospital to do clinicals for nursing school; I do fine when I'm there, but when I am done for the day I get in my car and feel a wave of relief that I didn't make any major mistakes and then the stress of the day hits me all at once. Keep in mind that I have only had 3 patients ever... so I am still learning alot and am not entirely comfortable in my role as a nurse yet.
But that is just one example. If I feel like my instructors have piled alot of work on us, I feel overwhelmed and stressed and the same thing happens.

What do you do to help with the stress? Do you have any ideas that don't require excessive time or money to do?
I know I need to do something, I need to replace my want for food with something much more healthy.... Any suggestions are appreciated.

I'm a stress exerciser. I like to exercise after work, no matter how tired I am, and it really helps.

I have found aromatherapy also works for me, whether it be having a bath with lavender oil in it, or burning some lavender oil.

Reading something can sometimes be good, but it depends how stressed I am. Sometimes it can feel too tedious, other times, it provides a welcome escape. Same with watching movies.

Perhaps something formal like yoga or relaxation tecniques could work for you.

Regarding stress in nursing school: A friend of a friend walked into her very first patient's room on her very first day of nursing clinicals....and discovered that the gentleman had passed away during the night.

So, you have survived 3 patients and I am assuming they survived you! Keep on keeping on...

For me, singing at the top of my lungs in the car to a good angst song usually does the trick. Or, if you have a song that relaxes you by listening to it, that can work too. Then, when you are feeling stressed, sometimes just humming a few bars can help to calm you down. Or, when you get in the car take five minutes and just let yourself sit there and breathe and relax.

Regarding schoolwork, I find the best thing for me was to break it up into smaller pieces, because looking at an assignment or test in its entirety could be totally overwhelming. This was harder for me because it meant that I couldn't procrastinate as much, which I usually end up doing.

I think that in a way, stress is kind of like exercise. When you are in that situation, you grow new "muscles" to handle it. It will probably take some time and a growing of your own confidence in your abilities. Working with people is very stressful on its own - I can't imagine dealing with possible life or death situations.

Got a hobby? Crafts like scrapbooking, knitting, crocheting can be very relaxing. I also like to go on a looooonnnng walk when stressed. It gives me a chance to clear my mind and leave the "real world" for a while.

For me reading does the trick, there's nothing like getting lost in a good book.

If I happen to find road rage creeping in after a stressful day at work, on the drive home I pop in the theme song from the Superman movies (the ones with Christopher Reeves), blast it as high as I can stand on the stereo, roll down my window and enjoy the unusal stares from the passers-by. It always makes me laugh and I feel completely invincible. :dizzy:

~Dee

If I happen to find road rage creeping in after a stressful day at work, on the drive home I pop in the theme song from the Superman movies (the ones with Christopher Reeves), blast it as high as I can stand on the stereo, roll down my window and enjoy the unusal stares from the passers-by. It always makes me laugh and I feel completely invincible. :dizzy:

Dee, :rofl: :rofl: :lol3:

Stress for me always triggered binging. I am still trying to get a handle on it. Definately kickboxing gets my agression out. Also, I pamper myself. A nice hot bubble, bath, candles and soothing music does the trick.

Dee, you crack me up! :rofl:

Listening to Mozart always does the trick for me. There's something very special about his music....

I'm also a stress exerciser. If I'm feeling really stressed or mad, I'll exercise until there's no tomorrow, and it really does make me feel better. Also, someone mentioned a nice bubble bath. I like to take a nice soothing one right after I work out. Especially nice! :D In the summer, I'll go out to our pool, and just repeatedly jump in...lol. It really helps.

I find that exercise helps me deal with stress, but also I find I actually eat better when I'm stressed than when I'm bored because I have something to take my mind off food! Anything that you enjoy that takes your mind off your stress and puts it somewhere calm that doesn't involve food will be good I guess, find something that you can de-stress with that's not edible. There are lots of good ideas on here of things taht you could try.

I find identifying and doing something about what is stressing me really helps. Even if is just talking to someone to try and problem solve the source of my stress. (like posting the way you did here) I also am a stress exerciser. When my stress is through the roof, I drop everything, go to the gym and pound on the cardio machines.

I think this is a lifelong problem for me (being a stress eater) and takes a long term, ever evolving strategy to deal with and an acceptance that I will sometimes fall short of my goals but should never give them up. For instace, I wasn't always a stress exerciser, that is only in the last few years tha I have developed that response.