The Wild Divine Newsletter

November 2007 - Issue 32

During the holiday season we sometimes need to make extra efforts to stay balanced and eat well. With parties, family gatherings, travel and work functions stress can easily unfold. Obesity creeps in. There are several ways we can avoid feeling stressed and or at least deal better with it. Eat well and exercise this season.

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3. Holiday Fear Factor: De-stress and Eat Less

Or how to have splendid holidays without splurging

—WebMD Weight Loss Clinic

Is anxiety creeping into your holiday spirit? Do visions of sugarplums cause you nightmares? Many weight-challenged people dread this time of year because of all the food and alcohol temptations that seem to be everywhere. In addition, the incredible demands associated with the holiday season make it a very stressful time of the year.

When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Start Eating?

Break free from the habit of turning to food for comfort and stress control with a better understand of the things that trigger stress in your life. If you face your temptations before they arrive, you will be better prepared to handle the situation. For example, the office party -- you need a strategy to be able to enjoy the festivities and camaraderie without diet sabotage. Unless you are equipped with a plan to control your intake, you will leave the party feeling guilty and stressed out. When you have a plan, you feel less vulnerable.

Impact of Stress on the Body

Stress takes a nutritional toll on your body ranging from depleting vitamins to depressing your immune system. Under conditions of high stress, several nutrients, including vitamins A, C, and the B vitamins, are easily depleted in your system, making you more vulnerable to illness and fatigue.

Comfort foods such as mom's apple pie, ice cream, candy, cookies, and chips are the types of foods reached for in stressful situations. Not only will these high-calorie foods pack on the pounds, but stress can also disrupt normal bodily functions, particularly the gastrointestinal tract and appetite.

Stress not only affects your choice of foods but also how fast you eat and the frequency of meals and snacks. That's because stress can refuel the body's appetite by releasing the hormone cortisol. There is no doubt that stress can cause a vicious circle of eating that can wreak havoc on your weight-loss efforts.

Fight Back

For starters, make sure you get adequate rest each night and limit the amount of caffeine and alcohol you consume. The American Dietetic Association also recommends that you eat regular meals; it is crucial to make time for a healthy breakfast to prepare for the day. In addition, skipping meals only heightens stress; find the time to eat healthful snacks if you are low on time.

A well-nourished body is your best defense against stress. You are what you eat, and this is especially true during stressful times. Focusing on eating the foods in your eating plan can help you deal with daily issues while keeping stress in check.

Be Proactive

Part of mastering control over the food that you eat is learning how to cope in stressful situations. Stressors such as anger, sadness and depression often lead people to seek comfort from food. Adopting behavioral skills that empower you and give you strength to resist temptations is a huge step toward gaining control over food. There will be times that you give in to the temptations, but hopefully, they will occur less often and as a result of a choice, not an out-of-control moment.

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