Let's talk stress eating

Let me preface by saying old habits die hard. At 3 years out, I am about 10 lbs up from lowest weight. I'm terrified of that scale going higher so I need to get this under control. I do well with my main meals and I think I have a lot of my emotional eating under control - I don't eat for boredom, I don't eat anymore to celebrate or when I'm happy. My downfall is eating my stress and anxiety.

Eating is very soothing and I need to find another way to get that same payoff. In the past I have allowed myself some treats here and there when I needed that soothing, but my work and personal life are starting to implode and my anxiety is constantly through the roof. It's eating from stress that is my nemesis right now.

This post is party to vent, and partly looking for suggestions. How do you handle this? Please don't give me the old standbys. I don't want to take a bubble bath and I certainly can't take one midday when my boss is screaming at me. I need real advice. What really works for you?

Thanks guys!

I also have this problem. If possible go out for a walk at lunch to let off steam. I also do meditation if I can find a quiet spot for a few minutes. I hope you find your solution

I completely understand what you are going through.
I'm feeling exactly the same way at this very moment. I feel like I could eat anything and everything in my path....but I'm not going to.
I'm going to hop in the car, grab myself a coffee, and just relax. 
It's all easier said than done while at work, and they frown upon me sleeping at my desk :)  So this is the next best thing.

I'd be open to suggestion myself ;)

Only exercise helps me...and because i'm training, mine is usually not during a stressful time. I have been walking a bit, but i'm tired. 

I am terrified too of the scale rising. I'm 5-10 pounds up from my lowest (varies monthly), but I was reminded yesterday at TWH that there isn't really many people who aren't up 10 pounds from their lowest (usually reached at 2 years out). But yes, keeping the pounds from showing up after that is the huge struggle. My struggle is training is making me hungry...and it's getting worse the further from surgery, and the harder I train. I have a few goals I still want to reach, and then I will be doing something completely different that will involve less cardio. 

Get out and walk...at least the weather is better now. Also, i'm not sure you're up to it, but I just got back into meditation. It is very helpful for me.  Good luck!

First, congrats on your journey.  I applaud you for all the work you have put into improving your health.  Although I am pre-op - anxiety & stress are a big part of why I am the weight that I am.  I am practicing journaling what is stressing me out, both on paper and in a blog.  I don't care if anyone reads it - it just helps to vent.  I also have (and don't laugh) a colouring book.  Yes, there are adult colouring books out there and there is something very calming about picking up a pencil crayon or felt and just losing oneself in a bouquet of flowers or a landscape.  For me, I find it quiets my brain, and just lets me be creative.  20 minutes or an hour later - I find I've settled and my initial reaction to go grab something to self-sooth has passed.  Now I can't whip the colouring book out at work, but I can find bubble wrap.  Stomp on it, twist it or just systematically pop those suckers.  I don't know if this has been any help - but they help me out.  :) Cheers

Walking, meditation, even just getting out of the office are the simple things.

I don't know where you work, or what you do, but "my boss is screaming at me", is never a good thing to deal with.  If that happens a lot at work, talk to someone.  Either confront the boss about his/her behaviour when they are not screaming at you, or find what resources you have.  (Sorry, my work is big on respect in the workplace, dealing with violence in the workplace, and resolving conflict in the workplace right now). Perhaps talk to HR, or his/her boss.

As for the rest of your anxiety, try to talk to a counselor.  If you don't know of any, go through your WLC, they can refer you.  Having someone to talk to might help.  Even if just talking doesn't help, they can help you with developing new tools to deal with your stress, that doesn't revolve around food.

Another place to turn to (if your work has it) is an Employee Assistance Program/Service.

I've had to go to counselors a couple times because of problems that I have had.  They did help a lot.  My kids have their own counselors, and it has helped them out a lot as well.

Cathy

I don't want to take a bubble bath either - there is nothing relaxing to me about sitting in a bowl of dirty water while my ass screams in pain from sitting on the hard tub bottom. And don't even get me started on the floating wobbly bits. LOL

Honestly, it's great that you're not only asking for suggestions but also that you realize that you might need some - that's often the first step in anything we need to "fix". I do a lot of little things to cut stress/anxiety, but some of the easiest that I do are:

- pre-plan and prepare for my day ahead of time (meals, snacks, food prep, wardrobe selected, etc.) - I don't do well making decisions in the morning when I'm already slightly stressed getting ready to go to work (where the stress lives lol)

- get up early every day (like, really quite early) so that my mornings are calm and peaceful, no rushing, no doing, just waking up and getting my head together

- walking documents/motions/papers/whatever to other departments instead of throwing it in inter-office mail, the walk does me good, gets me away from my desk

- making sure I take short breaks when possible (sometimes this means going outside for a few minutes for fresh air, sometimes a short walk when I have more time, sometimes it means making sure I remember to take bathroom breaks. Seriously.)

 - I take my planned/prepared/packed "lunch kit" with me every day. Inside there are all the foods/drinks that I have planned for the day - no more, no less. I can stress-eat to my heart's content on anything in that bag, but.... once it's gone, it's gone. It makes me think twice about nibbling away when the kit is running low. ;)

- I have learned a great deal about anxiety, etc. from seeing a psychologist and learning how to use cognitive behavioural therapy principals and practices - I highly recommend, it's changed my way of looking at life, anxiety, stress, thinking, and mindfulness

 - progressive relaxation (Eli Bay, well known psychologist - youtube videos, long version (20 min) and 5-minute-stress-buster, both extremely helpful, especially the 5-minute one)

- 5 minute "mind-mush" (stupid game on my iPad like Candy Crush Soda, Pyramid, Diamond Digger, whatever strikes your fancy), I have taken up the "adult colouring book" hobby (nice pencil crayons, manadala colouring pages)

Just some ideas.

Thanks very much everyone for your replies. There are good suggestions here and I'm going to start incorporating them more intentionally into my everyday life. I love the colouring book idea. I'm heading out later and will pick one up, I know I've got some pencil crayons around here somewhere. I am stressed with work and there is a bad HR situation going on, but we all know those are tricky to sort out though I do think some changes will be made soon. Ultimately, I deal with things all day out of my control, I need to handle them better. The old "grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change... "

LOL @ Karen on baths. I actually do enjoy baths, especially with a bath treat from Lush but they are only relaxing when I'm already relaxed! When I'm in a state, it doesn't help to confine myself to a tiny box and get overheated.