Wanted to share in case it can help anyone else out there. More thoughts later.
Diet Stuff that Works for Me
2.) Eat before you leave your home.
3.) Make the recipe at home, using healthier ingredients.
4.) Never tell yourself “no,” but ask yourself if you should instead.
Moderation is Key and Self-Loathing is Not the Way to Better Health
Weight Loss is Physical AND Psychological:
1.) Accept yourself the way you are now.
2.) Love yourself the way you are now.
3.) Make sleep a priority.
4.) Watch your diet (emphasis on portion control).
5.) Exercise as much as you can every day, even if it’s only a 30-minute walk.
Coping with Stress Eating
Food isn’t the problem since humans naturally want to eat when they feel pressure, so it’s all about addressing the underlying issue(s).
*More likely to happen when emotionality is taxing.
*Does offer comfort, but also offers weight and health problems upon overindulging.
*Stress eating is way more than just a bad habit.
*While strict diets can be derailed by stress, the way our feelings and eating interact is not negative within the process itself.
*Turning to food for comfort is a HUMAN thing, meaning it’s quite common.
*Food is intended to make us feel good, which is partially why we turn to it.
*The hormones released during stress can stimulate a person’s appetite because stress burns energy, so grabbing a snack may in fact be you simply listening to your body tell you what it needs. Just make sure it’s healthy.
*Despite these notes, stress often causes us to eat too much or too little.
*A variety of feelings are tied to what we ingest, meaning emotions like anger, sadness, guilt, anxiety, even happiness or contentment all play a role in the food choices we make.
*Over-eating and poor food choices directly contributes to overall health, weight, blood pressure, and other such vital statistics.
*Many factors do exist, but bad nutrition is more likely caused by a stressor or stressors.
*Main Point: Food is NOT the enemy.
*It is important to allow yourself to feel in general.
*Using food and dieting to control, numb, or manage stress will be a bad idea in the long run, especially if it contributes to food addiction.
*Find what coping skills, aside from food, work for you when stress arises.
*Using popular diets to deal with underlying issues is rarely successful. It has to be based on your individual needs, not what everyone else finds trendy.
*Find multiple effective ways for you to treat your stress, anxiety, depression, and other such negative emotions. That way, your health and health goals are not compromised or sabotaged.
*Reach out for help! Never be ashamed, we all need a helping hand sometimes.
*Ultimate Goal: A Healthy Relationship with Food
*Nourish yourself and really listen to your body, it will tell you everything you need to know!
