HOW TO RELAX PT 2

HOW TO RELAX AND GET IN CONTROL. HAS STRESS EVER CAUSED YOU TO EAT? IF SO, YOU'RE NOT ALONE. AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER, MOST PEOPLE HAVE TRUNED TO FOOD WHEN STRESSED; IT'S A FAIRLY COMMON REACTION. WHY DO WE TURN TO FOOD IN TIMES OF STRESS? IT'S BECAUSE EATING WHEN STRESSED SEEMS TO: 1 CALM US DOWN 2 DISRACT US FROM THE STRESS IN OUR LIVES. 3 MAKE US FEEL BETTER. BUT WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO LOSE WEIGHT, STRESS-TRIGGERED EATING CAN, IN ITSELF, CAUSE STRESS. AND THAT CAN LEAD TO MORE EATING, AND A POSSIBLE WEIGHT GAIN. REMEMBER, STRESS CAN BE EITHER POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE. IT CAN BE BROUGHT ABOUT BY HAPPY EVENTS, SUCH AS A NEW JOB OR THE BIRTH OF A CHILD, OR IT CAN BE BROUGHT ABOUT BY UNHAPPY EVENTS, SUCH AS ILLNESS OR A DEATH IN THE FAMILY. STRESS IS PART OF LIFE. WE CANNOT ESCAPE FROM IT, BUT WE CAN LEARN TO DEAL WITH IT IN WAYS THAT WON'T SABOTAGE OUR WEIGHT-LOSS EFFORTS. TAKE CONTROL PLAN FOR STRESS REDUCTION. MAKE A LIST OF ALL THE STRESSFUL SITUATIONS IN YOUR LIFE. HERE ARE A FEW EXAMPLES. 1 YOU HAVE PLANS FOR A SPECIAL EVENING OUT AND YOUR BABY-SITTER CANCELS AT THE LAST MINUTE. a KEEP A LIST OF BACK-UP BABY-SITTERS. 2 YOU SCHEDULE A LUNCH DATE WITH A FRIEND AND A DENTIST APPOUNTMENT AT THE SAME TIME. a KEEP AN APPOUNTMENT BOOK AND CHECKING IT BEFORE YOU MAKE PLANS. 3 YOU SIT IN TRAFFIC TWICE A DAY. a FINDING AN ALTERNATE ROUTE YOU CAN USE AT AVOID THE TRAFFIC. IF YOU CANNOT CONTROL THE STRESS IN YOUR LIFE, DO NOT CONTRIBUTE TO IT BY HAVING ANGRY OR HOSTILE THOUGHTS. INSEAD, REMIND YOURSELF THAT YOU CAN'T CONTROL THE SITUATION, BUT YOU CAN CONTROL YOUR REACTION TO IT. THEN, MAKE THE BEST OF THE SITUATION. FOR INSTANCE, BE PREPARED FOR TRAFFIC HAMS BY HAVING "BOOKS ON TAPE" OR OTHER FAVORITE TAPES AVAILABLE. SET PRIORITIES. WHEN YOU'RE FEELING OVERWHELMED, ASK YOURSELF, "WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO DO NOW? WHAT IS THE SECOND MOST IMPORTANT THING TO DO?" SETTING PRIORITIES HELPS YOU ORGANIZE AND GET THINGS DONE. FOCUS ON WHAT YOU CAN DO. YOU'LL FEEL BETTER WHEN YOU CONCENTRATE ON TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES YOU CAN HANDLE. GET HELP OR SUPPORT FOR THOSE YOU'RE HAVING TROULBE WITH. GET PHYSICAL PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IS A GREAT WAY TO REDUCE STRESS. ANY ACTIVITY THAT YOU ENJOY CAN HELP TO REDUCE YOUR STRESS. TRY A WALK IN THE PARK OR A RIDE ON YOUR BIKE AND YOU'LL SEE WHAT I MEAN. TO RELIEVE SOME OF THE STRESS-RELATED TENSION IN YOUR BODY, DO SOME SIMPLE STRETCHING EXERCISES. HOPE THIS HELPS FOR THE HOLIDAYS,,,GOOD LUCK SANDY