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10-22-2012, 05:48 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Tokyo
Posts: 401
S/C/G: 138/136/110s
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Ways to comfort/relax other than food
What do you guys do to help soothe yourself during a stressful time instead of using food?
I have an exam coming up that I REALLY need to study for, and I'm planning on spending a few hours at school a couple days each studying. But I am so NOT a studier usually, and it's really making me anxious. This is something I would normally use binge eating to get me through easily-- eat myself into a stupor until I'm happy and can't really move and don't mind studying for a while, then repeat and repeat-- but I really don't want to do that this time!
So, I'd love to hear any ideas for something I can do while I'm studying, or between study sessions, to make myself happy and relaxed a bit.
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10-22-2012, 05:51 PM
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#2
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Back with a story
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Midwest
Posts: 3,754
S/C/G: 281 / 254 / 160
Height: 5'3" - I got taller!
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I knit and play piano when I need a break, or read a book that I enjoy.
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10-22-2012, 05:54 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2012
Location: British Columbia, Canada
Posts: 248
S/C/G: 350/296/125
Height: 177cm
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My 2 mood boosters that get me happy and relaxed are tea and exercise (not together, obviously...too difficult). I can polish off a pot of tea like nobody's business and I use Splenda to sweeten it if I need it sweetened. It's warm and soothing and makes me relaxed. The very ritual of making tea (for me) elevates it past a simple cup and more of an event. I love it! Green and Black tea have the most caffeine so if that's an issue for you, try herbal, rooibos, oolong, or white. Oolong is FABULOUS for digestion and though I'm not a fan of the taste, makes me feel physically very "zen".
Exercise is big too. Get that heart pumping and your lungs working, even if only for 15 minutes between subjects. It'll boost your mood AND your metabolism!
Good for you for looking for alternatives to snacking during revision! I have the same problem.
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10-22-2012, 06:41 PM
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#4
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Happy Member
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Casper, Wyoming, USA
Posts: 789
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Chew gum instead of snacking while studying.
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10-22-2012, 07:18 PM
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#5
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Stephanie
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Posts: 3,221
S/C/G: 236/135-140/More Fit
Height: 5'6"
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I take a nightly bath and read. If it's during the day I usually will drink some diet soda -- I enjoy it and while it may not be a healthy ideal, it's better than binging. I used to smoke and that's what I'd do instead of eat, but obviously that's a terrible thing to do. So I figure diet soda is the lesser of the evils.
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10-22-2012, 07:20 PM
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#6
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Angela
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Southern California
Posts: 386
S/C/G: 155/138/126
Height: 5'6"
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I workout really really hard to a point I am about to pass out.
shower, watch your favorite program and fall a sleep, take a nap.
when you wake up, you are not hungry.
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10-22-2012, 07:21 PM
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#7
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Back to Basics!
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 1,036
S/C/G: 187/127/125
Height: 5' 2.5"
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I love to read! I make huge cups of hot tea o sip while I am reading.
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10-22-2012, 07:49 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Cody, Wyoming
Posts: 982
S/C/G: 243/190/150
Height: 5'4"
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When I first started out, I made a "deal" with myself that every time I felt stressed out, I would walk around the block. I had such a struggle at first even walking that far...OMG...it was AWFUL back then to try and get moving. Eventually I got better at walking and have found that (usually!) the regular walking has become super helpful/important to my mental health. I do my walking outside as much as possible, unless it is super cold and super windy. I also do the WATP video I bought a couple of years ago because it's really handy if I just want to do some quick exercise and can't go out for a walk. I have PTSD and need all the help I can get for the way I handle stressful situations.
Sometimes I just need to escape, too, and then I will usually read a book. There are so many different kinds of stories to read that I can easily get lost for a few hours and then come back to the stressful situation with a fresh perspective.
LOL! Instead of comfort food, I now have comfort walks ;-)
Barb
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10-22-2012, 08:38 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 353
S/C/G: 145/160/120
Height: 5'6
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I have started taking baths in the evening (Tends to be when I'll comfort eat etc) and also I've been reading books lately. I'm not a fan of kindles so I allow myself a new book every so often, I'm currently learning about Richard the Third I'm quite interested in history and since they may have found his grave site I wanted to know more about him.
Anyway as I said I'm a evening comfort eater and both these things distract me, make me feel happy and also make me sleep better so it's working pretty well.
It's slightly off topic but my downfall is sugar, my sweet tooth is out of control and I do often wonder if I'm actually insulin resistant or something... But for now at least every time I'm realllly craving sweets I will let myself eat some kind of tasty savory item. Could be anything from a favorite cheese to a little piece of pie-I'm just trying to ween myself off sugar as it doesn't even make me feel good to have it!
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10-22-2012, 09:59 PM
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#10
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Heading Downtown...
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: New York
Posts: 1,394
S/C/G: 225/165/165
Height: 5'8"
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My all time favorite thing to do for me that I find incredibly relaxing is to take a sauna... I also really like a steam shower too...
When I was cramming for exams in college I would break things up by just going for a walk around campus to clear my head and get some fresh air and when I was somewhere that no one could see me (because I thougt I looked foolish) I would do jumping jacks to get the blood flowing after sitting for so long... Also if it worked for my schedule I would hit the pool on campus and swim some laps and than the whirlpool which was awesome...
Good luck...
Last edited by TripSwitch; 10-22-2012 at 10:05 PM.
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10-22-2012, 10:01 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2011
Location: NW PA
Posts: 1,609
S/C/G: 255/holding at 162/160
Height: 5'-7"
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Knit. Bubble bath. Not at the same time.
Lin
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10-22-2012, 10:09 PM
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#12
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One pound at a time
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: USA
Posts: 655
S/C/G: 292.2/138.6/146
Height: 5'9"
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I'm another tea-drinker. I use stevia to sweeten my tea, and my favorites are chai teas (Celestial Seasonings Indian Spice Chai and Sweet Coconut Thai are two really tasty ones). There's something so calming about having a warm mug in your hand and slowly sipping a cup of tea.
Good luck on your upcoming exam!
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10-22-2012, 10:22 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 254
S/C/G: 191/149/135
Height: 5'8
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Shopping, hot bath, working out, watching a movie, cleaning, reading a magazine, surfing the net, reading are my ways of relaxing
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10-22-2012, 10:36 PM
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#14
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Back with a story
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Midwest
Posts: 3,754
S/C/G: 281 / 254 / 160
Height: 5'3" - I got taller!
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Quote:
Originally Posted by linJber
Knit. Bubble bath. Not at the same time.
Lin
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Haha! It's a surefire way to felt whatever you're working with, though
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10-22-2012, 10:37 PM
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#15
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Cool Chick
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 199
S/C/G: 283/227.2/180
Height: 5' 10"
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Diet hot chocolate, read, bath. And you can do them all at once!
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