How do you cope with stress whilst on LL?

Jemima80

Full Member
Only 4 days in & it has suddenly dawned on me what a comfort eater/drinker I was.
I used to think my weight issues were just down to eating the wrong things and big amounts but omg I am stressed today and missing food / a glass of wine as just a source of comfort.
I don't actually know another way to deal with the stress so have been :cry: a lot today at times when I otherwise would've planned a lovely meal or a few drinks out.
Helllllllllp - what do you do now if you used to be the same?
 
I think some people use exercise as a stress buster, a bit too energetic for me though. I have a bubble bath, low music and candles. If I'm very stressed I shoot someone! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- on the playstation.
 
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YEs, pampering is a very good alternative - baths, moisturising sessions, manicure/pedicure, lovely walks n the park with an ipod - these are things I used.

If you are creative, turn to art. THats my other outlet.

You will find something that works foryou.

Tears are OK. I have been there too. I comfort ate my entire life. Its hard work, but you can learn to control it - it will happen for you. :)
 
Thanks BL....ooooh manicures are a good one, I'd love to get that booked in :) & you're prob right on the tears, perhaps that's what I was trying to hide in the first place! Can't believe thus diet is making me realise so much in just a few days! (ps wow you have done so well - amazing!)
 
Hey lovely it can be so difficult in the beginning as you crave the lifestyle and habits prior to LL, trouble is you can't have and do them in the same way now! It's ok to feel sadness it's probably you reflecting on things, possibly how you have found yourself in this position. We all do it sometimes somewhat subconsciously!

Pamper sessions are great as they teach us to love ourselves and our bodies as most of us don't, another reason we end up here. All I can say is the weightlosses you will see will make it all worth while xx
 
Thank you so much lady T, (another with amazzzzzing weight loss on here. :) )
Yep I guess it will be easier when I start seeing results aswell & can buy clothes in a size I like :)
 
Hi Jemima - food has always been my stress reaction too. I'm only two weeks in so I'm still working my way around the problem. My job can present situations that are incredibly stressful and it's almost impossible to apply distracting or rewarding techniques when you're at work. I've been using breathing and acknowledging to deal with it since being on LL. I've found that it's the initial 'hit' that's the most dangerous - the harder the hit the more my 'need' to apply chocolate! As I've experienced it in the last two weeks, I've tried to analyse the emotion (is it anger, fear, disappointment?), breathe slower and tell myself that I just need to cope with the next 5 minutes. If it's a person that's the cause, I tell myself that they are not worth sabotaging my diet for. So far, so good...................... hope this helps!
 
Great post, Realme, and great thread, Jemima. I'm sure most of us on here use food as comfort or have done in the past. It's one of the ways LL can be so useful as it throws these behaviours into sharp relief! I'm still learning: went on holiday recently with my two small girls and disabled hubby and was so tired and resentful at having to do everything for everyone that I ended up back at the fridge!!! Doh!

Great suggestions from everyone for alternatives. Can I add vigorous gardening?! I mowed our (very uneven) grass yesterday with my old manual mower and set about the hedges with some shears and that definitely got rid of some stress! :D
 
Jemima80 said:
Thank you so much lady T, (another with amazzzzzing weight loss on here. :) )
Yep I guess it will be easier when I start seeing results aswell & can buy clothes in a size I like :)

Hey lovely thank you! I have to pinch myself sometimes to believe it isn't a dream! I love how I feel in the mornings getting dressed and even more so when going out with friends.

I'm almost there now just 19 lb to go, bring it on!

Good luck hun xx
 
Hi Jemima. Welcome to the programme and congratulations on taking the first step to a new healthier you!

I can definitely identify with the comfort eating thing. I also never realised until quite recently how bad my comfort eating was; I thought I was big because I 'just ate too much'. I realised this before I started LL though. In fact, the huge amount of stresses that were causing me to comfort eat were also preventing me from accepting that serious remedial action was needed.

But now that I'm on the programme I've started using exercise as Lass321 said earlier. I don't do anything strenuous (yet), but even a 20-minute walk lifts my mood enough to look at things afresh. And I never used to do any exercise at all - I'd drive to work and sit on my bum all day, then get home and sit on my bum all evening. If I'd known just how much better a short walk would make me feel, maybe I'd never have got to the size I did in the first place.

As others have said, the tears are ok, as you've probably been holding them at bay with food for ages. And pamper sessions are no doubt the perfect remedy. Even as a man I enjoy a good hot soak to help me relax - but I'd draw the line at manicures! :)
 
Lol, I don't need them. I've been told by several women that I have nails they'd kill for :D

As long as that doesn't mean they'd kill me for those nails, I'm fine.......
 
Thanks so much guys :) this forum itself seems to cheer me up instantly (I sound really corny now lol) but i think seeing all the weight losses is a real motivation.
The real me, I identify with you and looking for that initial hit... Maybe nothing will replace & we'll just have to learn to cope, which is a scary prospect but sure it can be done.
Actually found the CBT sticky quite an interesting one too.
 
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