Self-Care Influences Emotional Overeating
We say it often at Green Mountain: When stress increases, self-care decreases. But adding self-care strategies into your life can make a serious impact on emotional overeating.
In keeping up our top-40 series, we present 40 Ideas for Incorporating Self-Care into Your Life:
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- Work with professionals, e.g., personal trainers, nutritionists or therapists who support Health at Every Size
- Plan a comedy night, with the internet or at a club
- Drink your coffee with your whole attention
- Say 3 affirmations before you walk into a tough meeting
- Create a grab bag of healthy snacks for your car
- Experiment with eating 3 foods in different ways: Cut the hamburger in quarters, eat the ice cream sitting on the fit ball, put the spoon down between bites
- Go to bed earlier
- Put your feet in a bath of Epsom salt as you watch your favorite TV show
- Reconnect with an old friend
- Engage an old passion, like painting, playing piano or dancing
- Find ways to incorporate fish into your diet more often
- Hire a housekeeper
- Walk during your lunch
- Eat predictably and regularly
- Practice deep breathing
- Take a long, hot bath or shower before bed
Take the Quiz: If you want to know where you fall on the emotional/binge eating continuum, try taking this self-scoring quiz.
- Go somewhere beautiful outdoors, sit in the sunshine and get your Vitamin D
- Listen to soothing music instead of having the TV on
- Pet or walk an animal (good for you and them)
- Practice gentle stretching to release tight muscles
- Write a gratitude list
- Paint your nails or get a manicure
- Try batch cooking some of your go-to foods so you have them on hand
- Buy clothes that fit your body well today
- Have a plan ready for hard days where you may want to emotionally overeat
- Schedule one silent, mindful meal at home each week
- Do a crossword puzzle or play Sudoku (brain health!)
- Cut veggies up and have them in the fridge so you have easy and quick access
- Write a bucket list
- Plan your next vacation
- Explore closure habits for meals, e.g., keep tea bags or mints in your purse
- Download and listen to a podcast for your commute
- Have conversations with your loved ones about how they can best support you
- Spend time with the energy makers in your life and less time with the energy takers
- Find a fulfilling breakfast that makes you feel great
- Reach out and hug someone (you get a hug back!)
- Practice lifting your heart instead of “standing up straight”
- Celebrate your small successes!
- Schedule your annual doctor’s appointments – dentist, gyno, etc.
- Pick three of these ideas and see if they make a difference, then add more
Learn More About Our Retreat for Women Who Struggle with Overeating and Weight
Fabulous!! I am printing it and keeping it my journal.
Gonna add some of these to my cookie jar!
Very helpful. Will print it and incorporate 3 a week or so. Great for journaling and cookie jar as well. the replies were helpful.
Awesome list. Actually got the TV off listening to music. 🙂 It is encouraging to see that I am already doing some of the items listed. No new year’s resolutions.
I want to simplify my life
Focus on my physical and mental health. Pursue a dream I have had for years.
Get back into practicing mindfulness
Toss out toxic people and stop worrying about what they think.
Most of all, take baby steps. Can’t change being an overachiever, but maybe slow down a bit. 🙂
To a kick-butt, fun, and fulfilling 2015!
Boils down to: mindfulness . As women, were always doing for others letting ourselves fall back to the back of the burners. Now that I have time, I’ve signed up for beginner aerobics, I go swimming and I try to eat better. Duh. Common sense items. It’s the late night eating when my demons come out. That’s where I need the strength.
Yes! Mindfulness. 🙂 I went for a drive in a rural area; gorgeous rolling hills, rain clouds with sun rays piercing through, etc. It was beautiful.
I am not so disciplined with my gratitude journal. Instead, I have been taking tons of pictures to remind myself of the good people and things around me. Picture diary with captions.
Working on getting back into a healthy routine, job hunting, and I am going for walks. Next up, yoga class, planning and saving for a mini vacation at the Gulf Coast 🙂 That is the carrot I want!
Don’t beat yourself up over late night eating. If it is sensible, it is actually a good thing. Keeps your glucose level from crashing while you sleep. No insomnia, better sleep. I have a snack every night before I go to bed; out like a light!
I love your list. Thank you for sharing. I have added random acts of kindness and pay heartfelt compliments, even to strangers. It is amazing how surprised people are to receive them.
Happy hump day! ♡