Emotional eating strategies
Since I've been reading about emotional eating today in some logs, I wanted to offer some of the things I do when I get stressed/upset instead of grabbing many cookies (which I tend to do about once every 6 months). This list is for myself as well.
I call my friends.
This is a common one. If one is not home, I literally move down my mobile phone list to call the next one and so forth until someone is home. Might sound strange, but I need to feel heard and I'm not picky about who is on the receiving end. Of course, if you use this strategy, you have to be available to them as well, which I am.
I take a long shower.bath.
A shower/bath is filling up the tub but still keeping the shower head on as well. (sorry to the environmentalists out there but I'm not really using more water than a long shower). I keep the lights off (currently I have a window in the bathroom that produces great light, if I don't have a window, I light candles). I stay in there as long as I want with the water beating down on me. I tend to go through many emotions, crying, to relaxing, to happy to crying again to relaxed. It works really well.
I play catch and release, shopping style.
I'm not proud to admit this but we're talking selfish strategy here. I go out, shopping all day long. I walk and walk and walk and walk and shop.Then a few days later, I return and return and return.I usually end up keeping one thing that I bought, but I do find that when I shop when I'm stressed/upset, I don't really buy things that I like and when I'm in a better mood, I see that immediately.I'm not proud of it but this strategy works VERY well. Don't go to the high end boutiques though, they won't let you return. Stick to the department store/chain shopping.
I go to the gym or out for a walk for 5 minutes with my FAVORITE music.
Yes, I commit to 5 minutes because I know once I get there, I'll be there for a the full workout but if I commit to "sweating it out", I just get tired and I don't go. The 5 minute rule works well. The only caveat is that I have to have my favorite music on my ipod and it MUST be charged. Music is proven to change your mood and your spirit and sometimes within one minute it change change everything.
Wow. I feel so much better after writing this. Thanks for reading!