How To Stop Stress Eating During Pregnancy
I've been giving lots of thought recently to food and why I overeat, why you might be overeating, and things to do instead.
Some of us overeat because we're looking for physical comfort. That's certainly true of me. If I'm bored or stressed or anxious about something, food gives me immediate gratification, but it also really does a number on my body. As I've started to eat healthier, I'm trying to focus on things that I can be doing instead of eating unhealthy food. Here are three ideas to stop stress eating during pregnancy
Idea #1
The first idea is to try activities like meditation - getting your mind involved with what's happening in your body. I have a great app on my phone called Insight Timer. I would encourage you to check it out because there are guided meditations that deal with overeating, stress, and anxiety. There are some that talk about meditation in general and different techniques for that. There's music to fall asleep to. There are even bedtime stories on this app. It helps me stay positive and focused and helps relieve the anxiety that I feel sometimes around not eating.
Idea #2
The second thing I've discovered is paying attention to my body, indulging in activities that give me that same sense of comfort that food used to. So I'll go to the nail salon for a pedicure. The expense used to bother me a lot, but now I'm just enjoying it. Massages are another way to really tune in to your body because wherever someone is massaging, you can focus on how your body feels.
You can sense how much healthier you're becoming and how grateful your body is that you're doing something kind for it.
Idea #3
Now that I'm not baking or cooking pasta meals as much, I've got time on my hands that I can spend doing things that really give me enjoyment. I am writing letters and 'thank you's' to friends, just for being my friend or for being in my life. Who doesn't love getting a letter like that?!
I'm reaching out and loving people when it's physically hard to be with people in this season of our lives. I am walking the dogs more, and they are loving it. There's nobody more appreciative than a dog for every bit of attention and love that you can lavish on them. I'm puttering around the house and daydreaming. I'm doing activities that I was not giving myself time to do anymore because I was eating my feelings instead.
Now I'm just allowing myself to experience the comfort and peace that happens when I'm doing something good for myself.
The most important thing I've learned
The most important thing I've learned in this season is to listen to the still voice inside. We may not always know how many calories we need and we tend to overthink the science of it and it can paralyze us. But everybody has a voice that tells you when you're doing something that's "on-brand" for you or when you're not being true to yourself.
Eat the things that genuinely make you feel nourished. Do the activities that give you comfort and let you know that you're doing something that's good for yourself and the world around you. Give yourself some grace to fail and to get up and to try again and to actually just keep going until you find what truly does work for you. You can do this.
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