![[New Year New You 2014] Week 3 Task for the second prize draw | VLCD](https://blog.thenewyouplan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/21-01.jpg "[New Year New You 2014] Week 3 Task for the second prize draw | VLCD")
[New Year New You 2014] Week 3 Task for the second prize draw | VLCD
New Year New You Week 3 Task
Ways to relieve stress!
A Very Low Calorie Diet VLCD
The theory behind this weeks Task | Managing stress on a VLCD is important
Stress manifests in so many ways, for many of us eating is an emotional response even if we are not aware of it. Almost every week someone comments on this element of their life. One comment put up on my wall recently put it so well saying that as a child they we raised in such a way that food or treats were used as a reward for doing well and as a pacifier when they were upset and this was something that they associated with all the way into adulthood.
Further to this it has been proven that certain foods chemically trigger emotional responses through the release of endorphins that we can indeed therefore learn to crave a learned response. This means that for some of us we need to seek both physiological rehabilitation in additional to the emotional change needed. In both cases food provides instant gratification of fairly simplistic needs.
How this relates to stress…
Speaking from experience stress can be something that both builds over time or comes crashing in during a time of crisis. In the section above I have spoken about how food can be used as a tool to pacify emotions both through association (this food makes me happy) and physically (this food releases happy hormones). It is easy to see at this point how the perfect storm and a quick fix can merge in what would appear to be the perfect solution. WRONG!
The endorphins wear off and the guilt of a decadent pleasure will set in and the topic of stress will still remain.
The good news:
There are ways to overcome these problems and the best part is that by doing a VLCD diet you are already one step closer! Firstly to deal with the association that food has with happiness, actively seek for alternatives. Think of something calming and turn to it.
For example I watch a set of videos on Youtube called ‘People are awesome’. This works great in the event that that I am generally feeling down. I now associate these videos with feeling happy and just like food used to do I can already feel the tension left just thinking about it. I literally could not explain the mechanics behind it until I did a little research and this turned out to be a great example as it feeds into the second part!
The second part being the release that I spoke about earlier – there is really good news here in that there are so many ways to achieve the same great effect. Exercise, watching or listening to something funny and even making a list of the things in your life that make you happy can have the same effect.
The third part of this and the part that I am going to base the task on is way to relieve/manage stress. The best way to deal with stress is to try and avoid it altogether. A little careful planning and some creative problem solving can go a long way to reducing the pressure of stress.
For instance I am a stickler for deadlines. I get very stressed at times where things are not falling into place. The solution with little gentle nudge from my mentor Julz was to learn how to think ahead of time. Set the foundations and build on – filling in the gaps on a blue print is far easier than building without one!
The task for today:
List three simple stresses in your life and three solutions to these stresses.
This simple task is going to help you avoid those blips that arise from the ethos that: The happiness from eating is more important that my weight loss goal right now
By firstly allowing you to deal with the issues in advance i.e. it will not get to the stage where it becomes a stress. Secondly you actively be committing yourself to overcoming these obstacles to protect the most important thing right now – your weight loss goal.
As a final point imagine the impact winning a bundle worth £99.52 could have on your stress levels when you take part in today’s task!
Thank you so much for reading the blog today and I cant wait to see what people do to plan against their stress!
Kind regards
Grant
HUGE CONGRATS TO THE WINNER!!!!! 🙂 Delighted for you!!!! <3 🙂 Great video guys!!!! xxxxxxxxxx
first stress is going to the supermarket, and seeing food and wanting it, so i don’t get to feel i want to grab the food and take it home to eat, i make a list before i leave of the essentials i want to get, and do my best to know the aisles i need go down so to avoid those foods i want to buy in the other aisles if that makes sense.
Second stress is seeing my dad and daughter eating in the house and cooking their food and smelling it, and going in the fridge, I try to keep out the fridge , when i cook my daughters meal when dads at work in the evening i make sure I’m heating mine up at the same time so I’m not going to be tempted by her food.
My third stress is the weekends, being out and about, and being near food outlets and wanting to go in an have something, or being offered birthday cake from parties my daughter attends at weekend. Again I think to myself wheres this going to get me if i eat food else where, Im just not going to ever get to my goals i want to achieve, and i will feel guilty for eating out of plan, so will power is a big thing. I think once and while treating your self to a haircut, which makes me feel good about myself or buying an new outfit, having your nails done, going to the cinema, or even a nice walk will help to stay focused on your goals and reduce stress, life should be about rewards as much as putting in the hard work.
These are really compelling stresses and solutions Carys Price 🙂 I found in terms of the first two stresses a massive glass of water before each really does help and make all the difference. In terms of the first one makes sure you leave it as long as possible for the obvious reasons!
My hugh stress area is worrying about other people and there problems I need to learn to look after number 1 and still care but not put all my energy into trying to solve/sort other peoples issues /lifes , I got into this bad habbit both in work and personal life which I think has contributed to my weight so I have started New You not looked at personal emails which may trigger me stayed off personal facebook page ( created 1 just for secret slimmers)as the negativity and people trying to get me involved in there problems was triggering me to eat so far with the looking after me attitude this has really helped bring down my stress levels.
Well done winner 🙂
Perfect task for me this week as I am stressed to the max with a teething baby!!!
Stress 1; teething baby who hasn’t slept through the night for 3 weeks which means I am seriously lacking sleep at the min!! Usually after nights like last night I would take the 2 little ones to soft play where I can have a big cup of tea and a panini while keeping a close eye on them but today we just went for a walk round the park and fed the ducks. No temptation as long as I stay away from the cafe and I’m a lot more relaxed now!
Stress 2; cooking dinner for the family. I’ve started making my meals with double the water and leaving them to simmer away on the hob while the main dinner is cooking. They are turning out lovely this way and are ready to serve up with everyone else’s meal so reduces the risk of blipping for me by having a nibble on something I shouldn’t!!
Stress 3; meeting up with friends and their kids. I have a shake before I leave and I keep a snack and some peppermint and liquorice tea bags in my changing bag. I tell them I’m on a health kick and no one bats an eyelid. They are noticing my weight loss now and are being fantastic and keeping temptation out of my way!!
Doing these tasks also helps de-stress as I take 5mins to myself!! 🙂
Shame Clare, it sound like a bonkers week! You have really come up with some great ways to deal with the day to day stress in your life and I think this type of logic/planning is going to ensure not only your success on the plan but also once you leave us. Great job this week Clare 🙂
ok here goes lol
Stress 1 would be grocery shopping my solution is i have now changed to tesco online grocery shopping delivered to my door!!
Stress 2 would be Night time boredom and my solution to this one is i now to go bed earlier and listen to a hypnosis app on my phone which sends me soundly to sleep so no bad blippy thoughts lol
Stress 3 is meeting up with friends and my solution to this one is to have my meal before i leave and ALWAYS have a wafer in my bag to have with my coffee 🙂
Super job today with the Task Caroline – I am going to have to get the name of that app off you 🙂 good luck this week, although you clearly don’t need it!!
thanks for picking my name grant and ellie cant wait to recieve my box my stresses are 1) dealing with teenagers coming and going all times of the day for food so i always have water by my side to sip as i cook for them 2)food shopping for them so i always make a list and never buy anything thats not on the list even if it seems like a bargain 3)going out with my sisters who are all size 8 to 10 i make sure i have my bars and water with me and now that ive won more packs it will be even easier whoo thanks new you x
Woooohooooo we are so thrilled for you Pauline 🙂 I hope you enjoy your bundle!
I think your solutions to these stresses are awesome and I am thrilled that we could help in some small part to get you on track. Have a good week Pauline 🙂
Stress 1
My partner has a habit of eating all sorts of unmentionables in front of me at the weekend evenings with his coffee. Solution to that is I save my chocolate wafer snack to have with my coffee at the same time. So then I don’t feel that I am doing without 🙂
Stress 2
Watching cookery programmes on the TV , especially the bakery programme on every afternoon. Solution to that is still watch it but make sure I have had my late afternoon tfr meal before it comes on so I don’t feel hungry.
Stress 3
I haven’t been well this last week with one thing and another (abscess and cystitis) so have been feeling a bit sorry for myself taking 2 lots of anti-biotics. Solution to this is log on to Facebook Secret Slimmer’s page and talk to fellow slimmer’s who will soon cheer you up.
Wow Val you have done a cracking job to stay on track here! It always makes me smile to see people posting problems to solutions that are exactly the same as what I did on the plan. The wafers were my treat on the plan that kept me on track when others waved temptation in front of my face.
I hope you get better soon and make sure to keep your doc in the loop in case they ask you to take a break 🙂
Stress 1 – battling the voice in my head that says ‘one won’t matter’, ‘start again tomorrow’, ‘you deserve a treat’ etc. When I start to get these thoughts I immediately look for a distraction. I have written a list of things to do to help me with this e.g. have a bath, take the dog out, look at clothes on-line etc.
Stress 2 – boredom in the evenings. My boyfriend works nights so I sit alone most evenings so it is a time when temptation can arise. To combat this, I have set myself little projects and targets e.g. clearing out under the stairs, sorting out my old clothes, making new cushions etc. (My house is going to be so tidy!!).
Stress 3 – social events. I am absolutely fine when I go out and everyone else is drinking or eating except me. I take a bar and drink water and coffee all night. What stresses me is the fact that me not eating/drinking although not a problem for me, is a big problem for others. It seems that the more they drink, the more the fact I am not becomes an issue. To cope with this I tend to avoid certain ‘friends’ or arrive later to the event. Also, I try to organise seeing friends early evening or during the day and meet for coffee rather than meeting in the pub. I don’t feel like I’m missing out because in a few months time when I am lovely and slim, I will enjoy nights out much more.
Eyes always on the prize!!!
I really enjoyed reading this Emma, you have certsainly covered all your bases and I know that you are going to completely nail this week. You and Ellie have the same distraction in terms of the online shopping 🙂 Have a super week Emma and thanks for the support!
Stress is my middle name,I live with it daily as I have an autistic teenager who is highly volatile’2 jobs and a disabled partner,so my stress relievers are walking my dogs and bizarrely when I feel like something bad my parents my kids and my partner and girls at work get goodies and cakes:-)
You have done so well Tracy, thank you for sharing this as I know these are tried and tested for you. Good luck on the final leg of your journey 🙂
Yes my life is very stressful….trying to sell this wee house in the UK and dealing with viewers.
Also trying to sell the property in Spain….dealing with Spanish banks grrrrr…would drive you to the sangria.
Stressful having to DEFEND my diet with some family and friends who keep trying to be negative about it.
Dealing with loads of social occasions and NOT blipping must admit have been relying on my wafers of late lol….I avoid supermarkets and do online shopping when required. Not so stressed cooking now as in the early days. Glad for the support of SS’er…it defo keeps you on the straight and narrow.
Thanks so much for the Support Ann, you have done well to stay on track and you are the second person here to comment about doing the shopping online and using the wafers to save you from breaking the diet 🙂 I know you are going to smash it this year!
I am an official stress head!!!
Stress 1 – getting the kids up and ready, off to school and nursery (within an hour) so that I can sit in the traffic on the m25 to get to work! How I relieve this stress – enjoy a hot chocolate shake in the car on the way to work… Makes all that traffic worth it!!!
Stress 2 – kids bedtimes!are bedlam… Constantly getting out of bed! However, I have been looking at this in a positive way – the more times I go up to see them and put them back to bed the more cals I’m burning!! Those stairs are tiering!
Stress 3 – meal times – cooking for my other half… He loves his food!! To relieve it I cut up a bar and snack on it whilst cooking! saves my testing whatever I’m cooking!!! Ha!
Xxxxx
These are great solutions to some rather challenging stresses Rae! Keep it up, I know you are going to smash your goals 🙂
PS think you may have just invented a new exercise regime!
My life has its fair share of stresses – with a busy household to run, a full time job, two kids under the age if 3 & studying a law degree 😉 However I would say my main stresses are as follows:
Studying – when i’m hard at the books & stressing over assignments due & approaching exams, I find my mind wanders & I start craving the goodies that are hidden away in the fridge & cupboard. Now I ensure my cupboards have a good supply of tfr bars & snacks. If I feel I need to be bad then at least I can go for a tfr bar & a coffee which satisfies the craving & hey, isn’t so bad afterall 🙂 plus the break from studying also is a great stress buster.
Secondly, stressing about financial woes – doesn’t everyone??!! Sometimes I feel like I could give up on my vlcd as I worry about the costs etc. However, I always remind myself that the plan isn’t forever & I don’t have too much longer to go & its easy to stop & start when I want. Plus the fact that NY does great bundle offers certainly takes the stress out of ordering 😉
Thirdly, my biggest stress is worrying about whether I can maintain the loss iv had. This is one of my biggest fears & I worry about this a lot. However, I have met some great friends through NY & I kmow that in stressful times like this I can easily and quickly log onto the Secret Slimmers, post a wee status or pm a friend. The responses are always heartwarming & its great to hear how others are doing and pick up tips etc. This is a great stress reliever as I’m always cheery following a little chat with some of my fellow FB SS friends.
I love the solutions to your problems here. My study habits did me no favors at university. I know you are so close to your overall goal now so please don’t worry about point three, we will keep you on the straight and narrow!
I think STRESS is my middle name sometimes ….. Julie STRESS O Sullivan 😉
1. Feeding 2 teenagers who are forever hungry ,
my mouth waters at the meals I am putting up to them ,
And all I Get is …..” Oh No is that what we get for dinner today “…
2. To keep me from being “bold ” I have house cleaned that my 2 kids
Think we have visitors coming !!!,
3. My jeans where under stress 2wks ago trying to close ,
but I have sorted that Stress with 2wks of New You , and 9lbs stressed off …..OH YEH 😉
Thanks for the great review on the website Julie 🙂 Teenagers can be really mean at times, but I am glad to see that you have overcome this! Love the appeasement of the last stress – well done Julie and good luck.
My first stress would be boredom stress, to combat this I make sure that I always have a coffee with me to stop me boredom eating. I also do my cross stitch while at home as this keeps my hands busy and less likely to pick. Stress 2 would be having a husband who cooks gorgeous meals and then sits in front of me to eat them or eats lots of junk food in front of me in the evenings. I eat my hot meal with him and make sure I save my snacks to eat when he’s eating his and lots of fluids to fill me up.
Stress 3 is working in a supermarket surrounded by food all day, boy does this test you, not only do you see the food but you get the smells of the food being made. I take a big thermos of coffee with me and drink lots and keep telling myself that I can do this and I will do this. 🙂
You really have a great approach to tackling these stresses Clara 🙂 When you hubby starts to see the changes in you, you may find he has a change of heart in relation to his meal plans!
Well done to this week’s winner.
My top 3 stressors at the moment are:
1) Meeting deadlines for presentations and assignments in my final year of my degree.
I combat this by concentrating on the project with the closest deadline, splitting the assignment up and then doing a bit each night so that I am not panicking when the deadline draws closer. Last year I left it all to the last minute and became ill through stress so this year I decided I am not putting myself or my family through it.
2) Organising interviews for my thesis is not easy and I have deadlines to meet, how ever I tell myself that I will get them done and stressing is not going to get them done quicker and the quality of my work would suffer.
3) I stress over moving to another country in June, finding work, leaving my son here, and settling my daughter into a new school in a new area.
For the last stress I am trying to organise stuff early, so we can adapt to the change, but I also use the technique of Mindfulness as I have been trained in it through college, I find it helps with all of the stresses in my life. So far it is helping immensely.
Wow Shell every time I run this task to keep you on track, you completely rock this! I am always so proud of how you methodically take your stresses in your stride and completely smash them! I am sure your move will go well and we will all still be here on FB if you need anything!
Thanks Grant, even though I will be at goal when I move in June, I will still keep in touch and be there to support others on their journeys, after all it is the support that I revceive that keeps me on plan x x x
My main day to day stresses are that I work away a lot and I’m traveling between places often, so I don’t always have access to microwaves etc. So for me it means being super prepared to ensure I have bars, snacks and water with me at all times so I don’t go off plan.
I’m also quite an emotional eater so being away of this and trying to deal with emotions in a different way such as excercise or treats (non food!) are helping.
I’m determined to do it this time so I’m when I’m stressed I also remind myself what I’m doing and what I want to achieve to try and keep me focused and I’m track. Seems to be working in third week and 14lbs down! Xxx
Well done Gillian your ways of appeasing the stress here are second to none! I am thrilled to hear that you are finding ways outside of food to impact your emotions – it is great 🙂 Good luck and thanks for the support!
stress 1 has to be getting the kids up for school and out the door on time alway,s a screaming match in my house the old me would have sat down with tea toast and then biscuits and watch telly well not any more lol.
stress 2 has to be dealing with going shopping and still buying goodies for the rest of the family my husband never had a weight problem which is very annoying
stress 3 i suppose it has to be the weekends as i am still very new to this my family still get chinese on saturday night i find going up for a bath when they are eating has helped and i no it was eating all of that food has got me into this but im making the changes and i no i should,nt think too far ahead but i am getting stressed about when i get to my goal how do i stay there because that is when i ALWAY,S f“`k up so i have to stay focused sorry for rambling on xxx
Hi Ann loved reading this and we will most certainly need to find ways to help you here! In terms of the first stress – I would say you need to devise yourself 15-20 minutes of quite time after the dust settles in the morning to chill out and do something else you enjoy!
Stress 2 – drink a huge glass of water just before you go out shopping or take one of our bars with you to snack on just before hand – the large glass of water has the obvious downside if your shopping trip takes more than an hour!
Stress three – you seem to have this nailed so good luck I am sure you will pick up other small things along the way 🙂 Good luck Ann and dont worry we will be here to keep you on track even after you are done!
my main stress is managing my son who has mental health problems , he can be quite difficult at times , shopping isnt too bad as i just keep to a list , i seem to be managing to cope with mealtimes for my family at the moment , i just make sure i have plenty of water handy ,and losing my weight the way i am is a big plus 🙂
You do seem to have it figured out and you are certainly taking this in your stride. If there is ever a time you need more advice we can most certainly help! Good luck Dianne – you are doing a smashing job so far 🙂
Firstly I get stressed in work-i am a nurse and face many difficult situations on a daily basis. I try now to take a deep breath rather than eat!!
Its stressful when the children are fighting and arguing-i try and be calm which doesnt always work!
I get stressed if I am tired -I try to distract myself by watching a good series on tv or go to bed early.
That is a mad life style Brenda and you do seem to have it figured out. I am keen to find something else for you to bring the stress levels down.
As you would be so bust through the day it is hard to suggest things like take a two minute walk outside – maybe something as simple as an app with jokes and quotes can help in these situations.
I appreciate it may sound a little left field but a 10 second chuckle for me can undo and hour of tearing my hair out! Good luck – we are always here if you need anything more!
stress trigger 1- Feeling hungry…. Im not hungry, Im thirsty. Drink it hot, cold, warm, flavoured, plain. Just drink it. I use an app to keep track of my intake and carry my tablet sweeteners for coffee on the go.
stress 2- Unexpected delay to get home for next meal…. NEVER leave the house without a pack or bar to avoid non-plan eating.
stress 3- Other peoples food…. again a mix of the above. Take bottled water or make up a bottle of flavoured water and keep with you at all times. If going out during a meal time, an allergy is the perfect excuse for not eating if you dont want to consume your pack in public.
On the same topic- my children offering to share their food with me…. I have explained that I need different food to them to fuel my body, much like a car and a lorry need different fuels at the petrol garage. I dont want to give them the wrong body image impression at a young age.
These are some really great comments Keeley and I really loved the way you explained the plan to your kids 🙂 Good luck – with this type of imaginative problem solving I know you are going to rock this 🙂
My main stresses are really caused by me trying to fit everything into each day! And coping. (Before I started the plan) usually meant I would turn to stuffing my face with unmentionables ….. As a crutch !!! Well, I’ve 2 teenagers at home and one at university, and I work full time ! I come straight through the dorr and I’m “mum” and have to get on with all the stuff that mums do !!:). Now, instead of stuffing my face…. I try and keep busy, and a lot of the stress has lifted, as I try and get a bit of ” me ” time…….even if just a long bath or catching up on soaps 🙂
Now, instead of turning to food every time I feel a bit stressed, ….. I walk the dog, or have a wafer !!! I don’t feel left out, and because I’m starting to feel better about the way I look, some of the stress is relieved .
My stresses are generally around being a single parent and working fulltime. I tend to over-stretch myself then crash and food suffers with both.
1. If I’m v busy at work I often skip elevenses, lunch and keep going with coffee, diet coke and crisps/chocolate from the vending machine – result indigestion and probably more calories than I would have had in the first place. Now I’m having a shake before I leave the house if I’m hungry – if not then I wait. I have soup or shake at lunchtime and drink water all day. Result steady blood sugar and steady concentration. I don’t think I’ll get over working through but at least I’m eating well. And I have cut out the stupid unpaid overtime hours. Interestingly there has been no back lash from that either!
2. Driving long distances – not something I do every week, but it became an excuse to pig out – driving along and eating mindlessly – always treat food, petrol station deli-type junk. Diet coke, crisps, chocolate, flapjacks… so now it’s a coffee and water all the way. The food is at mealtimes only and is on plan.
3. Flopping on Friday/ Saturday night after the exhaustion of the week. So I’ve worked so hard, surely I ‘deserve’ something as a treat now? It turned into a whole frozen pizza each, a half a bottle of wine, a half litre of ice-cream, crisps… I shudder to think of the calories in one evening! Because I’m keeping on top of it during the week I’m actually less tired and emotional by Friday, and something like a bath and face pack, or tidy a wardrobe etc. are plenty to keep me occupied before I relax with a wafer.
I really love the depth you have gone into here Siobhan and it is great to see that rather than a quick fix you are genuinely, like everyone here, making lifestyle changes that are going to reinforce good habits that are going to change your life forever! Good luck Siobhan, I cant wait to hear how you get on 🙂
My stress is morning time i’ve two different school runs, breakfasts, packed lunches, hockey gear, swim gear , home economics ingredients…..endless things. To combat having a melt down and reaching for bad foods….. I try and get as much sorted the night before and getting my daughters to prepare their own bags,kits as much as they can manage between homework dinner bath time ect…so in the mornings I can slurp a green tea whist multi tasking the breakfasts, packed lunches and checking homework journals and finding a missing lost runner or shoe!!! My morning is just mental ,LOL. The green tea is a great little energy boost to tide me over until porridge time, AFTER SCHOOL RUN MADNESS.!!!
Very full on mornings Orla, great to hear that you have found a way to plan through it all. If you are half as organised with your overall diet plan there is nothing that is going to stop you!
My stress begins when I get up in the morning and lasts all day. Im a carer for my father and have to run around after my aunt also. I have to bring her shopping 7 days a week despite the fact that at the moment Im not supposed to drive due to back issues. After sorting out my aunt, I then have to drive to my dads to look after him. He can be very arrogant and tends to try and control my life. It takes all the strength I can muster to not give in to his attempted force feeding of me. I try to picture how I used to look in a particular pair of wrangler jeans and how I want more than anything to be able to fit in to them again. Giving a 100% to the plan 100% of the time is hard and yes I have slipped up but get back on track. Cooking is a killer for me but only when it comes to bacon, Again I have to concentrate on loosing 4 more inches off my waist and fitting into those jeans. After my stressful day, I love to sit back with a mug of the New You broth. It kills the hunger and knowing that its there if I need it. I save my bar till 8.30pm as my treat for sticking to the plan. That back make me feel that I havent been deprived of anything. Despite all the stress in my daily life, Im working towards being my goal weight by the end of august for my trip to the Texas. Thinking of that trip makes it all worth while
WOW Jackie, – you certainly have a lot of responsiblity and you are doing well to maintain a balance. The one really great thing about TFR is it actually frees up some time in terms of the meals you have to make for yourself during the day.
I am sure you will be wearing those jeans by the time you go to Texas – the great thing here is you have a very definite goal and a very definite timescale which helps to keep the focus. Never even thought of the Broth as a chill out stress relief! Good idea 🙂
My stress can’t be listed as 1, 2 and 3 and this is not on the FB page I can talk about them.
Both December and January are my stress months because my beautiful son was cruelly killed by two heartless hit and run drivers, who to this day, remain unknown.
December is stressful because he was a Christmas baby so Christmas no longer holds any magic for me and then 3 weeks after his birthday he was killed.
Why start my diet at such a stressful time ? Because my weight started to spiral out of control and focusing on my diet has helped me through this awful time of year.
Every year as my huge stress reliever I treat myself to a holiday ( Egyptian cruise and a week in a hotel ) this year will be even more enjoyable because I am no longer overweight.
As today is his anniversary it has helped my stress by being allowed to write this down.
Thank you New You x x x x
This is heart breaking Gloria, I find it immensely impressive that you have found it in you to tackle a diet at this time of the year. As you say though it does most certainly provide an alternate focus.
All of us here at the New You Family are going to be willing you forward towards that awesome goal. Good luck Gloria and thank you for the support here, it means the world to me to you and indeed everyone here take part.
for me to avoid stressful moments ,its either my laptop or my phone, a quick call to a friend or log on to the wonderful secret slimmers, and a chat with this inspirational group lift my spirits and give me renewed motivation to carry on .i take a bottle of mixed flavoring everywhere with me , to bars restaurants and even to my sons wedding ,like a good girl guide iam always prepared .
Loved this Deirdre and you have touched on one of the most important points of any diet – the right support is vital. Thanks for the support I hope you have a rocking weekend!
I really enjoyed this task because it got me thinking up ways to overcome stresses and obstacles! I’m only embarking only second week today’s I I’m sure ill be faced with different stresses in the weeks to come but so far the biggy has been:
Stress 1: Dinner time! I am quite lucky that my daughter gets fed in crèche while I’m in work but the evenings when my partner is having dinner have become tough so (his suggestion) I now take a walk to my friend who lives about 10 minutes away when he starts cooking. I stay for a chat and a cuppa until I get a “coast is clear” text then I walk home. It is working for me at the moment until I get into the swig of things! It’s gets me walking (a bit) and I get to see my friend so it’s all good!
Stress 2: weekends! My first weekend saw me very down in the dumps and feeling sorry for myself thinking “how will I last on this if I’ve nothing to look forward to on the weekends?!” So instead of doing that this time and feeling sorry for myself I’ve made so many plans with family and friends that ill constantly be on the go! My partner and I have a cinema date planne too and ill be bringing a coke zero and some chilli puffs 🙂 I’m actually looking forward to the weekend now. I’ve learnt I just need to take control of my happiness!
Stress 3: evening times! In the evening, after all the house work is done, bed time routine done, lunches made for next day, uniforms ready etc etc i usually like to sit down with a cuppa and a treat and watch tv with my partner. I get about an hour before bedtime but I savour it. When I started this plan I didn’t bother and just went to bed early. NOW I have discovered the wafers so I have decided to have two evenings a week of tv, a cuppa and half a wafer and on the other evenings I will start to paint again. A passion of mine that I have neglected lately but now thanks to this task I have made room for it again 🙂
These tasks are a great way to get us thinking and changing old habits. It is making me more confident of sticking with the plan but mostly maintaining it! Thanks guys!
WOW Shonagh these are some really great tactical moves to these stress and you will learnt to love the extra time that the diet gives you from just being so convenient. I am sure the walk to your friends place is something that is going to stick moving forward.
I was really impressed about what you said in the second point which is taking control of your happiness. It is so true that every situation is as good as you make it. It sometimes works to your advantage just to take a step back and say – yea I am doing this and it aint always easy but it shows just how much I rock! Good luck and keep on controlling your happiness!
Stress 1….. Cooking dinner for hubby and toddler…. To avoid this I always make sure to have a few glasses of water and my shake just before cooking… This way I’m full so no desire to sneak a spoonful…
Stress 2…… Trying to explain to others the diet I’m undertaking and dealing with the negative reactions…. I’ve stopped trying to explain it and I don’t tell anyone I’m dieting…. On any outing I say I ate a large breakfast and just want coffee…. Or I call up a friend if mine who has been on the diet fir months to vent any frustrations…
Stress 3…… I used to be a eat little but very often bigger person… Now I have breakfast…half a wafer at 11…. Shake at 2……. Dinner at 5…… Meal bar or shake at 7…. I have two glasses of water in between each serving and bring a litre of water to bed about 9 and read with my little boy and as he’s a bit ill and wakes a lot I drink thru the night too,
You really have cracked a few of the more complex factors of a TFR diet here Louise and I know at this point that nothing is going to stand in your way. I am really looking forward to your updates further down the line!
Stress 1. Work lunch. Everyday I have to deal with my boss bringing in treats, someone baking something nice and worst of all – the kitchen smells at lunch time. I deal with this by having my shake while they are out purchasing their lunch and then I have a cup of tea when they come back and sift the internet for the clothes I’ll buy when I’m slimmer. As soon as they have stopped eating I go back to the kitchen so I don’t miss out on the gossip!!
Stress 2. Making dinner for hubby and kids. I have mine first which stops the hunger but I don’t sit with them while they are eating which makes it even more stressful. Now instead of me an hubby cleaning up after the kids help out too so they can have the Mammy chat after dinner instead of during. They have become a lot more helpful around he house since I started NY and, although I’ve never asked them to, they never ask for the bad stuff or eat in front of me. I have learned so much about my children which pushes me even more to be healthy for them.
Stress 3. The weekend. Ok so I finish work on a Thursday and would always go for a drink with hubby on a Thursday night. We also play cards most Fridays in a friends house where everyone brings their own beer. This has been the toughest part of the diet for me. We no longer go out on a Thursday night (thankfully I have a class every Thursday now and I’m too tired afterwards anyway) and I just drink tea and water at the card game. Now some of the lads have started drinking tea too as they have put my recent winning streak down to the fact that I am not drinking ha ha!!
Stress?? Who needs it!! Where there is a will there is a way! FACT!
You certainly have it figured out Amanda and you are right, there is always a way when you find the will.
Love the fact we indirectly added to a winning streak at cards. i will most certainly never play you then – slightly hopeless 🙂 Thanks for the support and good luck with the rest of your journey.
Hey guys , after being in a highly stressed job which ended up being hooked up to monitors beside a 70 year old ( I was 32 ) I know only 2 well about stress, left job and in new one and happy .
The 1st thing I get stressed about weekly in my weight , I am tackling this by new year and setting mini goals , halfway to weightloss goal and everyday to remain focused I listen to meditation for half hour to ensure I am relaxed and won’t emotionally eat
2nd would not be spending enough time with husband ( he is self employed) so now we have dinner at table when he gets home and we spend quality time together and now date night to 🙂
3rd would be when friends who are really skinny complain to me that they are having a fat/bloated day , they would be 2-3 stone lighter than me , want to scream and tell them when they are my weight then they can give out , when this happened I simply tune out now and sing a song in my head , works a treat
It is so great to hear that you bounced back like this Eilis and i know you are going to smash it! Good to hear to that you have made so many positive changes in your life 🙂
Another great blog guys!!
Stress #1 for me is fitting everything I need to into the day. pre NYP I grazed through the day, justifying that I needed to get on with child care/ working from home etc. Actually having 4 products to get thru each day is a real help, as it keeps me focused, and is healthy too, one less thing to think about!
Stress# 2 is the fear of failure. I know my family are watching me…. Thank goodness for Secret slimmers! It just helps me keep on track
Stress# 3 is what happens after, I haven’t done a re feed or anything yet, I’m even a bit concerned about the 12 week refereed, maybe Ellie could do a webinar about it one week?!?!?!?
Thanks for the compliment Hedge I am glad to hear that you enjoyed the blog. I completely agree with you that our products take the stress out of thinking about how to do a diet. You will never be a failure – it is just about finding your feet and doing it right.
Love the idea about a refeed and I am almost certain that she will cover this when she does her own refeed. Dont let this worry you as we will certainly be here to help at that point. There are some awesome menu plans in the Momentum Maintainers group and the refeed guide is great for this too.
Just remember to take as long as you need to do the refeed! Good luck Hedge and we are here for you if you need anything 🙂
Stress 1- Because I am working in the fast food restaurant there is food around me all the time and it is very hard to avoid it,but usually when I feel picking up something I just drink water or coffee to take the food of my mind.
Stress 2- I live in the house together with 3 friends,so they usually making dinner late in the evening, so it is hard to see them eating,but again to avoid contact with the late meal I just go to my room and keep myself busy not to be thinking about food.
Stress 3- when I go shopping with my boyfriend or friends,they usually go to eat something usually to the fast food restaurants,so I have to ask them to go somewhere else,to eat some healthy food. And I try all the diets I see or heard and seams that nothing works for me,I can lose 1kg or 2kg but then again when you start to eat normally after all the weight is back again.
Hi Renata, these are some fairly complex stresses and you are doing well to overcome them. In terms of the meals with your housemates etc you will find further down the line that this will no longer bother you.
In the interim try to stay involved and you can have one of the wafers as a treat every now and again so you can sit down and have one of them when they are having their meal.
Hi there Grant, fantastic blog 🙂
Having just had a planned blip on Friday that went on for longer than it should, I am stressed out even more than usual, but here’s what I’ve come up with to make this a 100% week.
Stress 1 – Making sure the kids & hubbie’s lunches are done each day; I’ve started doing this at night now, right after I’ve had my dinner so the food doesn’t bother me in the slightest. It’s one less thing to worry about each morning too 🙂
Stress 2 – Constantly weighing myself; I weigh on a Monday so after stepping on the scales this morning I asked my lovely hubbie to take them away and hide them until next Monday. That way I don’t get caught up in the natural fluctuations of weight that we all have and it doesn’t affect my mood for that day any more – plus it’ll be a bigger surprise on Monday 🙂
Stress 3 – I am very much a ‘black & white’ person so I find it really hard on the occasions when I might be hungrier than usual. I’ve taken on board the advice from the New You team that you can have that extra product if things are really bad. So instead of feeling crappy and sorry for myself, if I’m really having a bad day and am struggling with thoughts of bad foods, I just have an extra product and congratulate myself for not blipping 🙂
I have to say, the support of everyone on the Secret Slimmers group is amazing, I don’t know of any other plan that gives so much support, it’s absolutely priceless!
I’m back battling a gain after my naughty blipping but I plan to SMASH it this week 🙂
Yvonne
Hi Yvonne, thank you for the support 🙂 So long as you keep stepping back up to the plate, that is all that matters! You have really put a lot of though into the things that can trip you up and I know you are going to smash it! 🙂
my first stress is: meal times for the kids.
solution:I stay at work if my other half at home and get home once meal time is finished or plan to take the dog a walk at this time. if this is not possible I have a product at the same time with a big glass of water and tidy up right away!
second stress:is when OH at home in the evening, we work opposite days for childcare! and he wants to cook for me!
solution:I have explained to him how important this is to me and he now gets meals just for him and waits til I go for a bath to eat.
last stress: weekends! there is always temptations with visitors and kids
solution: try to plan weekend so busy and always carry a bar with me and plenty water
These are really great ways to tackle these stresses Gill and it is awesome to hear that you have the support of your hubby. With time the routine you get on TFR will make these stresses seem less and less like stresses and rather just part of normality – one in which every day brings you closer to a dream.
Stress 1 – tiredness. Try to get at least 2 early nights a week
Stress 2 – work load. Try to be more organised
Stress 3 – lack of help. Bath and book!
Simplistic, precise and effective – great comments Jo. Thanks for the support and I am sure that you will find that the more you tend to these stress, the more they will simmer down as they are all interlinked. Good luck Jo
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