Hi,

I have a new job (started in May) in customer service, and it is very stressful. The training I got was absolutely horrible, and while I'm muddling through that....It's very stressful to have to take care of complaining people all day. I cope with it by eating-and not healthy things either.

I need suggestions for what you do at work when you're at your wits end, dying for chocolate, but need something else to relieve stress. Since it's ninety plus degrees, going out for a walk is out.
Any other ideas-I've gained back all eight pounds I'd lost before starting this job

Please help,
Sherry

Oh, that's tough!!! I can really feel for you, having BTDT!

Would making up a "snack pack" of healthy items help you through the day? Things like cut up veggies, a few pieces of low-fat cheese, some baked crackers etc, a few pieces of easy to eat fruit, like grapes (or cut up apples). Maybe a protein bar or two?

Other things that can relieve stress and only take a couple minutes are getting up to walk around your desk a couple times, stretching in your chair, doing neck and head rolls, giving yourself a mini neck rub...doing a few deep beathing exercises can help also.

Hope that helps, post back and let us know what you tried!

Hi Sherry,

I have the same problem. Days I can manage are the days I do what MissMew suggested. In addition, these things have worked for me:

1) Having a hot cup of tea at my desk, made with skim milk and sweetener. Hot and sweet seems to help.

2) I have my own office, so I can do this at any time (I'm guessing that in customer service you're in front of the public all the time), but I'll take 5 minutes for myself. I'll drink my cup of hot, sweet tea and munch a low-cal sweet like a rice krispie square, and that seems to take the edge off the craving. I think when I'm really wanting the sweet treats it's because I need some self-nurturing. You probably can't do this with the flexibility I can, but if you do get a break, I'd try to take it somewhere where you can do something like this.

3) Sucking on a cough candy like a mentho Hall's helps. Don't get one of the nicer-tasting flavours. Get something as truly awful as you can.

4) Same idea: get a pack of those little Listerine sheets, and let one melt in your mouth when you've got a craving. Having something really strong and kind of ucky-flavoured helps for the few minutes when the craving is strongest.

5) I've never tried this, but I read that if you breathe something that smells like apples, it takes away cravings. Some place that does aromatherapy probably has something neat and portable that you can take a whiff of unobtrusively.

Hope these ideas help. Good luck.

Hi,

Thank you both for your suggestions. I brought some healthy snacks today, and that helped. I do customer service on the phone, so I'm stuck to a phone all day. We're not even allowed to eat at our desks. I have to wait for breaks....which means the stress builds up, then I end up with chocolate or similar junk. I stuck to healthy snacks today for the first time in weeks

thanks,
Sherry

Good work, Sherry!

The best way around stress eating at work is to have a plan: take healthy snacks with you.

Not that I'm consistent about this, but it's easier to give advice than to follow!

Sherry!! {{{{BIG HUGS!!}}}} I am glad to see you back!!

Since you can't eat at your desk, I suggest massive beverages. Lots of water and slip in some lemonaide, tea and a diet pepsi here and there help break up the water!!

I was going to suggest those little tiny Tootsie Rolls, but then you said that you can't eat at your desk. Anyway, I can bring two, savor them while eating them, and then the craving for chocolate is gone. They're chewy so they last a longer time and don't have the fat that other chocolate candies do - and two seem to be just enough.

Another thing I do when I'm stressed (and REALLY busy), is to chew gum. (I'm not sure you are allowed to do that, if you're on the phone all the time, either.) My brand is Big Red, cuz it has some bite in it.

Hope it helps,

annie

bringing this up for yiby. the main topic here was for being at work, but most of these ideas will also work around the house....

I use to work in Customer Service and then moved to Sales. I was on the phone ALL the time. With dumb stupid customers who thought I might help them if they screamed at me. It took me years to find out whar worked for me. Here are my tricks of the trade:

* When on break, leave your desk. Better yet, leave the building. I'm not telling you to walk in 90 degree heat. I'm telling you to take your snack and get a few deeps breaths where you don't feel pressured. I used to drink a diet soda outside. Smokers get to go outside for their 15 minutes, so don't even feel guilty.

*Make the most of your bathroom breaks. Freshen up. I used to take my purse with me and carry my make-up, a washcloth and a brush. It sounds so silly, but it was my time to use and the simple act of brushing my hair made me go back to my desk with a positive attitude.

*Never ever eat at your desk. NEVER. It doesn't matter if they promise not to talk to you. It doesn't matter if they DON'T talk to you. You're office has electrified air that is full of work pressure. You shove things in your mouth like you're trying to solve customer complaints. It's very very bad.

*Last but not least, remember this is just your job. It should not rule you when you leave it. When you get home, you'll be tempted to eat more because you've been stressed. Find a "Day Breaker." Whether it's a walk, a shower, reading a book, playing with the dog, or picking up your house, find something that removes you from your day. You are not your job.