Re: stress causing you to eat or not eat

[Guest guest]

>>> Most in my group (myself included) lament the fact that we eat for every

emotion -- happy, sad, bored,

stressed etc. It seems to be more and more work the farther we get out.<<<

I totally agree that it does get harder the longer out we get but not

impossible -- getting in those good " base habits " the first year is SO

important so when we are totally stressed or highly emotional the " habits "

kick in (that's the hope.)

>>> I am sorry you (or anyone) has to get stressed but I am glad food isn't

your 'best friend' when you are....that is definitely a perk! <<<

I've spent years with a therapist and covered tons of issues about " why " I

eat like I do and what the underlying cause is and have a good grip on all

that stuff under " normal " conditions but when the stress and emotions kick

in I have to be honest and say my body does weird things and I don't ever

know and can't predict which way it is going to go.

Last month, spending 24 hours a day at the hospital with my Daddy until he

passed away on the 18th I could not have a bite of food that would go down.

It was like a physical block was in my throat and food wouldn't pass it but

I had a shake every 3 hours or so and all my vitamins to the point that the

nurses (so sweet) would keep some in the fridge for me (RTD) and would

remind me even -- I was already in the habit of shake with pills / pills

with shake / so that part was just habit (thank goodness) but sleep and food

just were not going to happen for me for a while...

It could have totally gone the other direction and I could have been

starving under the stress and emotions... that has happened to me as well

where my body just kicks in an " eat everything in sight " mode and I feel

just about as helpless during those times as the other times...

Thing is I never know " which " way it will go but it will go one way or the

other and I'm so grateful that no matter which way it goes I got my shakes /

pills / thing in first and then just have to deal with what comes or doesn't

come after that.

I am still living with that lump in my throat feeling most days -- but,

other days I could eat everything in sight (rare but it is happening more

often now...) and being at home now / or work / I have more control over

keeping " what's available " under more control... maybe I can't stop eating

but if all their is to eat is chicken dipped in this or that and I eat it

all day long ... I don't feel like I totally failed myself that day... and

if I can't get anything down I don't totally freak out because I'm hurting

my health really bad.

It makes the whole food issue one " less " thing to stress about when the

stress is already BIG enough without the additional " what have I done.... "

at the end of a hungry day.

I can't speak for everyone and I know everyone deals with stuff differently

and I had no idea if I would cave or hold up and I think I probably did both

at different times and still do... BUT, what goes into my body is at least

the bare minimum in supplements to keep my health up until the worst of this

passes and I get myself back more and more each day.

The one thing I can feel good about is that I did get my supps -- I did

stay as healthy if not healthier than I'd have done before my surgery /

before learning about supplements / before having the shake/pill -

pill/shake habit so ingrained that it isn't even a thought now. It helped me

a great deal.

hugz,

~denise