Distract Yourself from Stress

Here is a summary of my Weight Watchers meeting on December 8, 2009.

With all the events that take place in December it is nearly impossible to go through one second without experiencing Stress. Learning to control and distract yourself from stress is a key skill to long term weight loss management!

Here are a few of the tips and suggestions we discussed in the meeting last night:

*Listen to music - ha your music, not Hannah Montana or the Jonas Brothers but your favorites. Sing along and enjoy it. Let it soothe your stress.

*Exercise - Studies have proven that activity relieves stress. Whenever you start feeling tense take a walk, stretch, get your blood pumping. Maybe even dance along to some music.

*Keep your hands busy - Clean, knit, scrapbook, paint, read a book….all of these help to get your mind off your worries.

*Vent - Let it all out…phone a friend and just tell them all about your problems. Everybody feels better after a good vent session. Sometimes just crying…letting all your tension seep out of your eyelids.

*Make time for relaxation and yourself - Take a nice hot bubble bath and lock the door, sip on a glass of wine or even get a message. Reward yourself for all that you have achieved. You deserve it!

*Learn to say no - This time of year it seems like everyone needs something and it seems to be your time! You don’t have to go to all 10 Christmas parties you have been invited to and you definitely don’t have to meet everyone’s demands.

*Enjoy a peppermint - Studies show that something in peppermint oil helps to ease the mind and relieve tension. Also it is a sweet snack that can help curb your appetite and keep you from binge eating.

*Post it note your success - Start placing post it notes around your home/work/car reminding yourself why eating healthy through this season is a priority for you. Congratulate yourself on your success so far. Tell yourself that you can do it!