Bored
Anxious
Depressed
B.A.D. - this is when I tend to eat the most. When I binge, when I eat haphazardly. And it is BAD for my body and for my mind. It is BAD. Notice that hunger is not part of that acronym. I am rarely hungry.
Bored - Why do I even allow this to happen? There is always SOMETHING that I could do. Life is full of things to do, places to explore.
Anxious - Sometimes I get anxious. Waiting for a call, waiting for my husband to get home. Stressed about something I have to do. I want to start praying or reading instead of eating. There are much better things to do than be anxious.
Depressed - This is the toughest one because when I am depressed I really don't want to do anything but eat. It is a 30 year old habit that is very hard to break. Thankfully winter is mostly over and I can get outside more to help keep this at bay.
I was really stressed last night with the kids in our hotel room. Stressed to the shutdown depressed state. Blaming myself for bad parenting and inability to effectively discipline the kids. Thinking it was pointless to even try. My husband said to me. "You're stressed because you haven't had any time alone in a few weeks. You haven't been to the gym" He's right. One of the kids was sick with swollen tonsils and strep and I like to keep them out of commission a little longer when they are on antibiotics to protect other kids from their germs. So once we get back to Chicagoland tomorrow night, I need to get there more often if only to get time alone to de-stress.
Welcome to my 5 new readers! I'm grateful for you all. On this journey to get rid of the BAD and making it GREAT - Getting Required Exercise All the Time!!!
I told you your were going to hit the big 50 this weekend! You are such an achiever, you overshot by 5. Excellent. I'm sure your new readers will love your blog as much as I do.
ReplyDeleteGood post - somehow reminded me of the habitual nature of our eating behaviors. And to have your husband identify the source being something other than just "the usual depression". I know that my recent funk has been in part due to my inability to get out and move more. But I've been telling myself that maybe I need to get back on an antidepressant I was on a long time ago! Always hunting for a quick fix.
You sound great Jodie.
Yes, I often eat for those same reasons, and just like you it makes no sense.
ReplyDeleteThat you can articulate it so well gives you a real jump on getting a handle on it. I really think that you can catch a nibble before it becomes a binge.
ReplyDeleteYou're right and it happens for me too ... hunger is not always a factor when I overeat. But sometimes failure to plan is.
I enjoy your blog.