Stress Eating and Not Eating When Overwhelmed

As I mentioned yesterday, the past 5 weeks have been pretty crazy! I know this about myself, but I don’t do the best job of taking care of myself when life is hectic. I know a lot of women, personally and professionally, who struggle with the same thing, but it’s really easy to get into a groove, to make sure everyone else is taken care of, and then to realize down the road that we’ve taken a toll on our own wellness. Aside from not having/making the time to workout and getting far too little sleep, I struggle with stress eating and not eating when overwhelmed.

I went into the school year with a healthy plan but I never could have imagined how crazy my days would be these first few weeks. When I am overwhelmed, I really struggle with not eating or having an appetite. I’d have breakfast at home most mornings before heading into work, but would then would find myself going 7+ hours before eating again. I was just so busy that I didn’t have a second to eat lunch. Those days were tough and I’d find myself starving by the time I got home because ugh, I hadn’t eaten hardly anything all day. I was overwhelmed my first few weeks of the semester and thus struggled to eat a balanced diet the first few weeks of the semester.

On the other hand, when I am stressed, I eat! I’ve been very open about this struggle over the years and managing stress in my life has really helped with my struggles with overeating/binge eating. I am much, much healthier than I was years ago, that’s to working with a behavioral nutritionist, but I still struggle with mindless eating when I am stressed. Food is comforting, so it’s easy to turn to food when I am stressed.

A big part of this is just losing the energy and time I would normally put into planning and preparing. During a more traditional work week, I know how important it is to schedule out my workouts, to prepare foods for the week ahead, to plan out my meals, and to log what I eat each day. When I am stressed or overwhelmed, I lose focus on my own wellness. I fall into a vicious cycle of working really late, not getting enough sleep, scrambling out the door in the morning, working long shifts, and then being absolutely exhausted when I get home. Repeat.

In theory, I’d love to keep my focus on workouts and to have all of my meals planned, but I struggle with it when I am stressed or overwhelmed. I struggle to keep myself a priority when work is hectic or when my family needs me. Now that the semester is settling down, I’m eager to take back my life and schedule. Much like work, I know I have to take it one day at a time. I’m out of the “not eating” phase and have definitely been in the “didn’t plan out what I eat and made impulse choices when hungry” phase. Those choices weren’t always bad choices, but I definitely haven’t felt in control these past 5 weeks.

Having my mom here really helped me to get back on track and to feel more organized. Yesterday morning Magnolia had her 2 year appt so I was able to sleep in, had an amazing breakfast, packed a healthy lunch, and enjoyed a home cooked meal at the end of the day. Today I am off work and I’m really looking forward to the day ahead! I have a 5AM OTF workout scheduled, a morning date with a friend, and then a relaxing afternoon planned. Aside from having to work Saturday morning, the weekend ahead looks to be very relaxing and I need it! I’m planning to watch Season 6 of The Walking Dead on Netflix (must catch up!) and to spend plenty of time outside with my family. It’s going to be amazing!

The past 5 weeks have been nothing less than nuts and I’m happy to be feeling re energized and refocused on my own health and wellness. The weeks ahead are going to be pretty busy, but definitely not as busy as the first 4 weeks of the semester. I’m excited to get back into my workouts, to plan some outings with friends, and to regain control over my eating.

Here’s a look at everything I ate yesterday.

Breakfast – Vanilla yogurt, 1/2 apple, and Giant Foods Honeycrisp Granola

Lunch – Lettuce, 1/2 apple, cucumber, grilled chicken, walnuts, and Ken’s apple cider dressing