No time for stress reduction. In other words - no time for self-care.
Most women only deal with the effects of chronic stress, like stress eating and ignore the ongoing causes.
We women are remarkably resilient to stress. In one way or another we manage to persevere, to survive and even have our moments of pleasure and joy.
Taking into account the loads of stress we go through daily we are indeed expert copers and problem solvers. The ways we cope are deeply individual and changes as we go through life and change.
At the same time, however, there are limits: if we chronically and long-term tax our physiological/psychological balance we push it over the edge where any further adaptation and resistance are compromised. This is where chronic illness, premature aging, burnout and cortisol induced weight gain comes in.
Our automatic reactions to stressors we encounter determine in a large extent how much stress we experience.
When we react automatically and mindlessly reach for food to sooth ourselves toward small strains and basically simple problems they tend to become big and overwhelming.
Stress eating indeed comes with strings attached - toxic weight sitting around your waistline. And if you continue to use stress eating to deal with problems, the kilos keep adding on and then you need more food because now you have additional stress - necessity to deal with extra weight.
You can learn how to free yourself from your stress reactions at those moments when your first impulse is to comfort yourself mindlessly with a cookie.
What if you could overcome mindless stress eating ans stress-induced cravings?
Diets don't work for many reasons, at least not for long. You have tried many of them, so this doesn't come as a surprise. One reason is because diets are based on deprivation, and depriving yourself creates stress and tension-an internal battle. Your energy is focused on controlling what you can and cannot have, rather than giving yourself and enjoying what your body and mind really want and need.
Maybe you just need more willpower? Willpower is another way to control and it eventually erodes as well, and even if you win the battle, you almost always lose the war.
Have you noticed that when you stop trying so hard to lose weight, that's when you are most likely to lose?
Are you willing to shift away from mindless eating on stress autopilot toward mindfully nourishing your body, mind and spirit? This is where let go of control concept comes in -- not being attached to a particular outcome or result.
Letting go requires trusting ourselves. It requires be in charge vs. being in control. Letting go is a way of letting things be. Of accepting things as they are.
Next time when you experience stress craving I encouraged you to stop fighting it.
Start by using mindful awareness: ask a simple question - Am I Hungry? Then tune inside and listen deeply to your answer. Acknowledge it. Meet it.
Let your experience be what it is and practice observing it to moment to moment.
Stop judging yourself or saying how bad it is that you want that cookie, stop resisting. Start observing thoughts, don't push them away, or cling on them or judge. Just watch.
Holding on is the opposite of letting go. Breathe into the discomfort.
When you train your mind to stay in a difficult situation without reacting to it, you transform your relations with stress cravings. You stop mindlessly reacting to them and start respond to them mindfully.
This automatically puts you in a position when you are in charge vs. being in control.
When you let go the urge to control and fight your stress-induced cravings, you honor yourself and your true needs you will be able to manage stress and reduce emotional eating.
What to do next: Don′t let stress to increase the size of your waistline, develop stress fat and age you prematurely - discover no-diet weight loss to overcome yo-yo dieting and stress eating habit using Am I Hungry? mindful eating approach.
Dr. Inese Millere, M.D. is a medical doctor turned diplomat, turned lifestyle coach in holistic stress management and mindful eating for busy women who want to stop stress eating, have a healthy and joyful relationship with food and enjoy healthy living and longevity.
FREE e-book "Stop Stress Eating For DAY" instant download at http://www.inesemillere.com
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