Learn to Survive "Survival Mode"
Learn to Survive "Survival Mode"
by Katie Jay, MSW, Certified Wellness Coach
Director, National Association for WLS
www.nawls.com Have you ever noticed that the word "stressed" is
"desserts" spelled backwards? Studies show that people eat more when they
are stressed out, and they tend to reach for
carbohydrates and sugar. You don't see many
people turn to leafy greens during challenging
times. So, that's why I'm rallying behind using the phrase
"stress eating" instead of "emotional eating." There are a number of reasons why I prefer "stress
eating." Here are just a few of them: 1. To some people, emotional eating implies a weak
will or a lack of self-control -- a character flaw.
Scientists will tell you that eating during stressful
times is a biological response to a real, physiological
condition our bodies are going through. Our adrenal glands secrete adrenaline and cortisol
(the fight-or-flight stress hormones) which creates a
short burst of sugar into the bloodstream and makes
us crave more sugar and carbs. It's no wonder why we
reach for a doughnut when we have a bad day at work
-- we're in survival mode! Rather than eating, however,
we need to learn to find other ways to alleviate stress. 2. Stress eating feels more manageable. When I think
"stress eating" instead of "emotional eating," all kinds
of stress-management techniques come to mind,
instead of a bunch of "victimy" feelings, like shame
and overwhelm. 3. Emotional eating perpetuates the victim mindset.
When we continue to tell ourselves that we are
"emotional," and hence, inherently flawed, it makes
us feel as though we are helpless. The reality is we
can learn to reframe our thinking when we restate the
problem in controllable terms. Whereas you don't always have control over stressful
events and people in your life, you DO have control
over how you respond to them. It's no help to you that the stress hormones get
kicked into high gear every time your boss reprimands
you in front of others or your daughter's boyfriend
brings her home two hours late, but there are concrete
things you can do in response to stressful situations
that can make a huge difference. Turning to stress relievers other than food takes time,
willingness, patience, and lots of practice -- did I say,
"lots of practice"? Next time you are tempted to grab
that doughnut in the employee lounge, why not take
a few deep breaths, take a short walk, call an
accountability buddy, or stretch in the bathroom? With time and perseverance, you can circumvent the
knee-jerk reaction to make an unhealthy choice;
changing the frame of your experience from "emotional
eating" to "stress eating" is a great place to start. Your assignment Take some time to think about recent or ongoing
events in your life that are particularly stressful.
How do you normally respond to those events? If you struggle with overeating and do not keep a
food log, try keeping track of your eating and stress
levels for a few days and see if you find a connection
between the two. *********************************************************
*********************************************************
Want to Reprint this Newsletter?
If you'd like to reprint any part of this newsletter,
do so with the following credit, including the copyright
line:
From Small Bites, the email newsletter for the
National Association for WLS. Subscribe today and
get your F'REE report, How to Regain-Proof Your
WLS at www.nawls.com.
© 2009 National Association for WLS,
Inc. All rights reserved.
by Katie Jay, MSW, Certified Wellness Coach
Director, National Association for WLS
www.nawls.com Have you ever noticed that the word "stressed" is
"desserts" spelled backwards? Studies show that people eat more when they
are stressed out, and they tend to reach for
carbohydrates and sugar. You don't see many
people turn to leafy greens during challenging
times. So, that's why I'm rallying behind using the phrase
"stress eating" instead of "emotional eating." There are a number of reasons why I prefer "stress
eating." Here are just a few of them: 1. To some people, emotional eating implies a weak
will or a lack of self-control -- a character flaw.
Scientists will tell you that eating during stressful
times is a biological response to a real, physiological
condition our bodies are going through. Our adrenal glands secrete adrenaline and cortisol
(the fight-or-flight stress hormones) which creates a
short burst of sugar into the bloodstream and makes
us crave more sugar and carbs. It's no wonder why we
reach for a doughnut when we have a bad day at work
-- we're in survival mode! Rather than eating, however,
we need to learn to find other ways to alleviate stress. 2. Stress eating feels more manageable. When I think
"stress eating" instead of "emotional eating," all kinds
of stress-management techniques come to mind,
instead of a bunch of "victimy" feelings, like shame
and overwhelm. 3. Emotional eating perpetuates the victim mindset.
When we continue to tell ourselves that we are
"emotional," and hence, inherently flawed, it makes
us feel as though we are helpless. The reality is we
can learn to reframe our thinking when we restate the
problem in controllable terms. Whereas you don't always have control over stressful
events and people in your life, you DO have control
over how you respond to them. It's no help to you that the stress hormones get
kicked into high gear every time your boss reprimands
you in front of others or your daughter's boyfriend
brings her home two hours late, but there are concrete
things you can do in response to stressful situations
that can make a huge difference. Turning to stress relievers other than food takes time,
willingness, patience, and lots of practice -- did I say,
"lots of practice"? Next time you are tempted to grab
that doughnut in the employee lounge, why not take
a few deep breaths, take a short walk, call an
accountability buddy, or stretch in the bathroom? With time and perseverance, you can circumvent the
knee-jerk reaction to make an unhealthy choice;
changing the frame of your experience from "emotional
eating" to "stress eating" is a great place to start. Your assignment Take some time to think about recent or ongoing
events in your life that are particularly stressful.
How do you normally respond to those events? If you struggle with overeating and do not keep a
food log, try keeping track of your eating and stress
levels for a few days and see if you find a connection
between the two. *********************************************************
*********************************************************
Want to Reprint this Newsletter?
If you'd like to reprint any part of this newsletter,
do so with the following credit, including the copyright
line:
From Small Bites, the email newsletter for the
National Association for WLS. Subscribe today and
get your F'REE report, How to Regain-Proof Your
WLS at www.nawls.com.
© 2009 National Association for WLS,
Inc. All rights reserved.
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