So I just started WW on 7/17, but have been a CC'er for a long time, so not new to the game. Anyway, found out on the same day I started WW that I am losing my job. When? I don't know yet, but it will be soon. I am really starting to get freaked out, as apparently it is now setting in what is happening. We have bills up the wazoo. Not going to go into detail, but we have a lot of credit card debt and a high mortgage. I have not interviewed for a job for 14 years!!! I will never find a job here for what I currently make as I was working for a metro company but working remotely (but with metro wages.......I live in BFE). I feel like I am going to have a heart attack! Anyway, how do I stay focused and not let the stress get the better of me in this weight loss game? I am a stress eater. God help me.

I can relate to stress eating and comfort eating. My tips:

Get away from the food that is calling your name!
Go for a walk.
Drink a large glass of water.
Learn to say "NO!" to that food and replace that behavior with something positive.

Would it help to make up big batches of food and freeze them so that you don't need to loiter in the kitchen, just grab something from the freezer and heat it up?

Best of luck with everything, it sounds ghastly.

Don't overburden. Switch to MAINTAIN through the stress time rather than deal with stress and LOSE. That just adds more stress/pressure.

You have made good progress and do not want to stress eat all that back or set up a binge situation. Make healthy meals and deal with the job thing first. Then come back to the diet thing having preserved your previous work.

Take deep breaths. One thing at a time. Nobody is SuperWoman!

GL to you!
A.

I'm dealing with alot of stress now too; won't go into details, but it's pretty similar to your stresses.

Maintaining isn't a bad idea -that's pretty much what I've been doing. I try to stick to things I know the portions of, try to make vegetables the focus of lunch and dinner (this way even if I'm over calories, atleast it'll still be fairly healthy foods). If you can still find time to exercise that would be good too.

I'm a comfort eater too; I've been craving some high carb, high fat foods. I posted in another thread, if things aren't in the house it's harder to eat them. Since you might be on more of a budget with your job cut, try not to buy your trigger foods and stick to the healthier foods.

I don't really have any advice. Do what you can. Find other ways of coping with stress other than eating. I'm really sorry you're going through this, but it's a very common story these days.

I was in a similar situation a year and a half ago. I was laid off. I live in the middle of nowhere, I'd been working for the same company for more than 10 years, the last 3 of them from home. I was sure I couldn't find anything at what I was making, and sure that I would have to commute. It took a while and I had to change slightly the direction of my search, but I found a job only 5 miles from home, making slightly more than I had been. It is possible. The new job isn't perfect, but I can live with it until it changes or things improve and I can look for a new one.

I was not trying to lose weight when I lost my job. In fact, I had been gaining. During the time I was laid off, I maintained, without precisely trying.

Your body and how you look is one thing you have total control over. If all else spirals out of control, hang on to the (at least) one thing you can direct.