Stress Center Peer Support

Ok I'm going to start session 5 today. After about a week or so of procrastination..... I decided it's now or never. If I keep putting it off before I know it I just won't be working the program anymore.... I think the main reason I've been putting it off is fear. Fear that I won't be able to do it. This is a "subject" that has been a issue for me since I can remember. Something I have tried MANY times to "work on" I have trouble eating. I don't do it enough or the things I should. I am 5'7" and only weight 85-90lbs. I grew up watching my mother skip many meals, and learned to do the same thing. I have been working at the exercise and cutting out some of the bad things like coffee, sweets etc... I have also been working to add in some good stuff like fruits and veggi's which I hardly EVER ate before. I am also working on becoming a non-smoker... I think that these things will help my appetite. But I need something to help my mind as there have been MANY times when I am hungry, but still can not make myself eat. I can be to the point most people would say they are famished and HAVE to eat NOW... I will realize this look in the fridge and say there is nothing I want and find a way to "ignore" the hunger....
has or does anyone else have this issue?? Or even any idea's or suggestions??
Although I have had many failed attempts before, I didn't then have the skills I am gaining now, I know I can do it, as I am putting my mind to it!!

Great job tackling this, I know it's so hard at first to even think about dealing with our struggles, but I am proud of you for being so resolved to beat your anxiety!

I know for me personally, when I was really anxious, I lost weight, and it was a bad cycle. I was so anxious that my weight was dropping, because even though I was eating, I was continuing to burn the calories I needed with the stressed-out state I was in.

Your body needs good healthy fats in order to function, and this is especially important for people like us because our brains NEED those healthy fats. When I was really light, I was incredibly anxious, and it just made it worse. I am working with a nutritionist. By following his diet, taking the supplements he has me taking, and also working on the program and learning these life skills, I have gained around ten pounds and feel MUCH better!

As women, with our cycles and hormones, I think it is especially important that we have healthy fats. I have a few friends that are very anxious, and they are both very tiny girls.

Do you think it's anxiety that has you not wanting to eat? I know that when I am really anxious or depressed, I don't feel like eating. It's like I have to force myself to eat.

Here's a few tips that I think may help you to be hungry and also relax enough to want to eat:

1. Try and exercise for even 15 minutes, at a pace that is comfortable for you. This will help to get your metabolism going.
2. Eat breakfast. When your body is not used to eating, it won't be hungry! It's a weird fact, but when your body knows it's not getting food regularly, it won't be hungry at normal times. It's trying to conserve whatever fat it can.
3. Eat fruits and vegetables as a snack. Fiber burns quickly and you won't have that full feeling, but your body will love the healthy calories from the fruits and veggies and it will help to get your metabolism rolling.
4. Exercise outside. There's nothing like being outside in the sun to make you hungry (at least for me, anyway )
5. Do your relaxation tape two or three times a day. This will help your body to relax and will help you to eat if you think it's the anxiety making you not hungry.

I would also look up the affects of nicotine on eating habits. This might be affecting your hunger. I am sure there a lot of great tips and support groups for people who are trying to break that habit.

I hope these tips from my own experience are able to help you! Many blessings!

Great job tackling this, I know it's so hard at first to even think about dealing with our struggles, but I am proud of you for being so resolved to beat your anxiety!

Thank you

You know I never really thought about it before, my mom was always very small as I. She never ate right either, so I just assumed I "learned" it from here and it's now more so just a "habit". It's not really the eating or lack there of I learned from here, it's the anxiety/depression I got from her, and Yes that is just one of my "symptoms" of it. My emotions do play a BIG part of my eating habits as well. Anytime my emotions are "off" in anyway it is harder to eat, even at those time I regularly do. What a "light bulb moment" thank you. So now in those moments I can treat it more like a anxious moment....

I also agree that the smoking plays a big part in it also. I am actually currently reading this book (GREAT book) about quitting smoking... that basically gives you different views to help you want to stop, not the usual... it costs a fortune, can kill you etc. But one of the things I happened to read today, was the feeling you get when you want a cigarette is so similar to the feeling of hunger you CAN NOT tell the difference. Many smokers will substitue their meals for smoking... Reading that was also a "light bulb moment" I can recall SOOO many times that I would be hungry and aware of it, but decide to go out for a smoke instead.

Ok I don't know much about the whole "healthy eating" or anything close to, so you will have to explain to me more what you mean when you say "healthy fats". I do feel a little silly asking, but I will anyway

I appreciate the tips you have provided I have been trying to work the exercise into my days, but have been slacking recently, so I will get back on that I have for the past few days been getting up and eating. I don't know that you can call it breakfast, but I will make myself eat at least a peice of toast or something. I am starting to notice I am starting to gain more of an appetite. Today I was actually pretty hungry come lunch time, and managed to eat my whole lunch... which is something I rarely do It's a little cold for the outside exercise, I'm a baby when it comes to cold, but will start that up as soon as weather permits. Kids always love going for walks!! And yes the relaxation, I do need to work on that again. That has always been so hard for me. I had trouble with the one that came with program but think I will give it a shot again. Can't hurt to try. Maybe with what I've gained so far it will work out better for me this time around

Thank you again for your reply I did find it VERY helpful!! And many blessing to you as well

I'm glad my tips were helpful! My mom went through anxiety and this program years ago, so I have picked up some of what she learned, and we have been working with this nutritionist for some time now. I love to pass on whatever I know to other people, as much as I can! And that's awesome that you were able to eat lunch, a great step in the right direction!

That's not a silly question at all! By healthy fats I mean the good cholesterol and fats that you find in foods like eggs, fruits and vegetables, lean meats, nuts and whole grains. They're all natural sources of fats, proteins or carbohydrates and will provide your body with the good cholesterol, vitamins and amino acids it needs.
I'm not sure how familiar you are with cholesterol, but there are healthy kinds and un-healthy kinds. LDL, low-density lipoproteins, are the bad kind that you would find in processed foods. High-density lipoproteins are those found in natural foods - fruits and vegetables, lean meats, nuts, etc. When I had my blood taken for a check up with my nutritionist, he could see that my healthy cholesterol was still too low, so he reminded me to keep eating my fruits and vegetables. I could still be doing better on this!

I think in the program they talk about protein being a huge part of the anti-anxiety diet. It keeps your blood sugar levels normal, which keeps you from having that edgy feeling you get when you eat a lot of sugar or carbs. Eggs are actually the most complete source of protein, my nutritionist recommends that I eat two every morning, which I do pretty faithfully (as disgusting as eggs can get sometimes lol).

Nuts are a great source of healthy fats. I would suggest cashews and walnuts. Walnuts seem to be good for people with anxiety, they help with blood pressure levels during stress. My nutritionist has me eating those.

http://www.ctds.info/anxiety_diet_treatment.html Just a neat site I found while searching, didn't get to read all of it but it looked like they had some good observations to share!

Let me know if you have any more questions!

It's funny, I didn't get to listen to the session yesterday. I had made copies of all the discs and keep them in my car... so when I was going to work, I put in session 5... guess I messed up when coping, turned out it was actually session 4 I had to laugh at that one.
Originally I was planning on just making sure I was eating 3 times a day, then I would worry more about what I ate. But I think I will look into what I am eating more as I am working on the eating... I am now thinking my "diet" has a lot more to do with my anxiety than I would have thought. I always figured as long as I'm eating something. I don't eat fruits or Veggi's regularly. We eat a lot of fast food. I eat a LOT of junk food.
I think this is something I am going to have to TOTALLY revamp. I get anxious thinking about it. As there is so much it seems for me to do. But if I break it down into small steps I'm sure I can make it quite simple! This is something I have always tried to work on as I don't want my kids to learn my bad habits of not eating!!!
I will check out that website when I have more time, I'm sure it will be very helpful!! Especially for someone like me who doesn't really have much of a clue!! But I am ready and willing to learn!!
Thanks again!!

I am working on cigarettes because I'm and off and on smoker. I go for months without then I have some when I am with smoker(s). I have used nicorette gum off and on for about 5 years. Sometimes I wonder if the nicorette gum keeps the addiction going

Coffee is easy to stay away from. If the smell of someone else's coffee in enticing I can have a decaf.

Sugar and chocolate I crave. Am working to cut down.

I hope to lose 20 pounds eating more healthy.

Im sure Iwillbebetter, you would eat more if you cut back on the cigs. I know I lose weight when I smoke for a week. I went to a class when I stopped being a daily smoker. They recommended that you say to yourself something positive about the cig you are NOT having, like "I am DELIGHTED to be FREE of smoking" or I LOVE being FREE of smoke in my hair" We also substituted a glass of water for the cig. Boy was I waterlogged, Had to take short walks!