Stress Happens...

Life sometimes has a way of smacking you around. Sometimes it is normal every day things that can stress you out.  Other times it's big stuff that is out of your control.  And sometimes it's a really fun combination of both. 

There are lots of different ways of dealing with stresses. 

Mine is food. 

I've done better the last several years keeping a handle on this and using exercise to be my stress reliever. 

I have not done better the last several months using exercise and have gone back to food. 

My pants are complaining about this. 

Actually a lot of my clothes are complaining about this. 

I don't know how other people get inside their heads but mine is kind of a downward spiral. 

• First I eat because I'm stressed. 
• I don't work out because I'm tired and stressed.  Instead of exercising, I'm snacking.  
• Then I am mad at myself because I know I should be working out but I'm so tired (and sad) that I still don't work out.  
• So then I'm stressed about my workouts and my weight. 
• Then back to the start.  I eat because I'm stressed.  

It's a ridiculous cycle and I know it when it's happening.  Knowing it's happening almost makes it worse because I feel so weak that even knowing it's happening I don't seem to have the strength or will power to stop it. 

Life is always full of stresses.  Some are just harder to handle.  Right now we have some rather big ones happening.  Health issues that are affecting people I love.  Inability to do more than just be present is really hard for me.  Comfort and prayers are great but I want to DO something to make things better or easier and I do not have the ability to do that.  My yearly struggle with Seasonal Affective Disorder where I once again have a classroom with no windows which adds to the struggle.  Youngest daughter's senior year, Joe getting ready to do another Ironman and me starting over again at a new school all are things that add to the stress.  Not necessarily bad ones but they add to the pile.  Basically just a lot happening all at one time. 

I decided that I would take the two weeks of my winter break to focus on getting my workouts done.  To get back into the routine of doing my workouts. 

Because I know that setting goals helps keeping me going in the right general direction, I have made a few goals to get me through the next month.  Then I will see where I am at and how I'm doing and make new goals. 

• Do all my workouts, even if I don't do them 100% or they aren't pretty.  I have to at least TRY.
• Count/track my calories.  Because I snack I know that I eat more than it seems like when I'm stressed so counting my calories will help me be aware of just how much I am really eating.  
• Drink all the water in my 40 oz. Hydroflask twice a day.  
• No sugar!  Too much holiday snacking.  Time to clean out the system.  It will suck at first but I know it my body will thank me later.  
• Support my family members in the best way I am able, whatever that may look like.  And be okay if it doesn't actually feel like I'm doing anything.  Comfort and prayers do matter.  
• Cut myself some serious slack if I do not do all of these goals perfectly every day.  I am only human after all.  

This is a very doable list with things I CAN control.  (I will have to keep reminding myself of this!!)