News flash! You didn't know that, right?
I do, too. And yet, I keep making those bad decisions when I am stressed out. Usually, my stress leads to some comfort eating, and since I doubt that my life will ever be stress-free, I need to figure out how to deal with my stress in healthier ways.
Yesterday, I had a long day. My kids were taking a test, and it's always a bit depressing, since they don't study and won't do a review, and then do poorly. After school, I had a meeting that lasted 2.5 hours! Thud!! By the time I got outta there, I was getting panicked from being cooped up too long, and also because I was afraid that I was going to be late to pick up P. He goes to school so early that I like to pick him up early, and it bums me out when I can't.
I got stuck waiting for a train, and then something was wonky with the traffic lights near P's school and traffic was backed up! By the time I got him, I was so panicked and unhappy!
I didn't have anything QUICK at home (well, I probably did, but not instantaneous and honestly, it wouldn't have mattered if I did at this point, since I was so stressed out) so I decided we would eat out for dinner. I've been trying to avoid that to save money and also so that P doesn't think that we can just eat anywhere we want, at any time.
At this point, I could have taken us somewhere health-ish, like Subway. But no! Do you think that my mind would let me do that?? Heck no!! It was gonna be a buffet. It had to be. Sigh. I was out of control. Either Cici's, Souper Salad, or the Chinese Buffet. Souper Salad would have been slightly healthy and may have calmed the beast, but I didn't take that route. Cici's isn't healthy, but at least the choices are limited. Pizza and a kind of sad salad bar. But Chinese Buffet.....drool. The cheese puffs, eggrolls, noodles, jello, sushi....YUM!!!
I succumbed to the buffet and just shoveled in that food like I hadn't eaten in weeks. I don't usually eat to bursting, and tonight was not an exception, but that is the only redeeming feature of my bad choices.
I need to think of some healthier ways to deal with my stress. The problem is that food is something I have to eat daily, multiple times a day even, so I can't get away from it! If I was an alcoholic, I could simply not drink. But every day I have to make healthy food choices. And I just don't have willpower to do it every time. I obviously need some better strategies.
Any ideas?
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I hear ya - food gives instant gratification when you're stressed!
ReplyDeleteThe point is NOT to beat yourself up about this but instead THINK on how you'll handle things next time. What could you have done differently? Eat healthy at home & treat yourselves to ice cream? Take 5 minutes to yourself before picking up P (even if its just sitting in the car and doing NOTHING)? Renting out a movie? You get the idea. Think up a few options NOW when you're not stressed, and when the stress hits you you'll have these ideas available.
And above all - don't beat yourself up for being human, be gentle with yourself! ;)
I just can't seem to get the dinner thing down. I need more quick veggie recipes to make during the week. If they were ones my child liked as well, I'm pretty sure I would pay good money for them!
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