Dear Caroline,
I hope that you can help me. For the last few years, I have found life to be very stressful and I have experienced a great deal of anxiety. I suppose that the way that I have handled it, is through eating more than I should! I tend to eat when I worry, I always have.
I recently stepped onto the scales to weigh myself and have been shocked to find that I have gained a lot of weight. I have never been this size before and many of my clothes do not fit.
As you can imagine, I feel very low in confidence about myself and rather lost as to what to do about it. I am not sleeping due to my worry. Do you have any advice for me?
Do you have any advice for my excess eating problem?
Cassie
Dear Cassie,
It can be incredibly difficult to face the truth about how you have been coping with your problems, so firstly may I say well done to you for reaching out and seeking help. Coming to this realisation is not easy and I understand that you are feeling low. The good news is that now you have acknowledged the problem, you have the opportunity to find a solution! This is actually a positive place that you are in, as long as you make a commitment to be kind to yourself during this time.
Your coping mechanism up to now has been eating through your stress and unhappiness. This is not uncommon. Although the journey ahead for you is not easy, it is important to remember that it is absolutely achievable!
I strongly suggest that seeking some counselling support would be incredibly beneficial to you as it will allow you the opportunity to explore why you overeat and what your triggers in fact are. Through therapy, you will find new ways to cope with your stress that are not only healthy but unique to your experience.
It will not come as a surprise that it is important for you now to be completely honest with yourself about your daily diet. A good idea to start you off is to begin a food diary. This week, on each day, write everything that you consume, including beverages. I will emphasise the word EVERYTHING here Cassie, for each and every day. Once you have completed this for the week, you may be able to reflect over your diet and identify what your problem areas are. Are you consuming too many sugary drinks? Are you eating too late at night and therefore unable to properly digest your food properly before you go to sleep? Are you eating enough fruit and veg or drinking enough water? Once you see where you are going wrong, you shall be able to adapt accordingly.
Exercise is also an obvious part of the solution and something that will make you feel better inside as well as out. Even walking for thirty minutes a day can dramatically transform your physical health as well as your mood! Remember, maintain both kindness and patience with yourself at all times! It can also help to confide in a family member or friend in order to receive some encouragement and positivity during moments when you are feeling low.
You mention that you are not currently sleeping very well. Contemplating your sleeping routine is therefore essential as you move forward. Numerous studies indicate that sleeping six to eight hours each night is critical for maintaining a healthy weight. Sleep is also a paramount factor when it comes to your emotive state and mental health. Although it may not prove to be easy at first, adjusting your sleeping routine will work wonders for you in the long term, so do keep trying.
Have faith in yourself Cassie and in your capacity to achieve your weight loss goals, as well as any other life goals you may indeed have for your future. As you venture upon this new path, have courage, for you are far stronger than you think. It is vital that you take each day as it comes. Also, be mindful that the changes you are about to make are for life, accept that it may take some getting used to before it comes to feel effortless and a part of your daily routine.
Wishing you good health and happiness,
Caroline
More information about me and the services I offer at Here to Help can be found here.
