If you’re like I was, being holed up with the kids on a rainy day was enough for the binge monster within me to awaken from it’s slumber. What is it about long days with annoying movies blaring, the constant need to be preparing kid snacks, and endless whining that sends me into full-on stress eating mode?
If this is you, read on for my top five solutions to end this madness:
Take time to get grounded.
I know you’ve heard this before, but it works. Meditate, do yoga, or sit quietly and practice mindfulness for 10 minutes a day–that’s it! By developing a practice that brings you peace and calls you back into the moment where everything is good and OK, you develop resilience and coping skills for difficult times.
Make food pleasurable.
It’s all too easy being home all day to just graze on whatever is available and easy. But, by the end of the day you have eaten loads of snacky, perhaps unsatisfying food. Make an effort to prepare or pick up some meals that are appealing and enjoyable. Even if they’re not elaborate. Satiating, beautiful, intentional meals go a long way in helping you feel satisfied, giving you something lovely to look forward to, and making you feel nourished and comforted.
Practice mindful eating.
I know. I know. It’s becoming so cliche. But, mindful eating leads to more satisfaction with your meals and allows you to slow down and truly enjoy what you’re eating. Maybe start with one meal or snack a day until it becomes more of a habit. Notice the texture, the aroma, the temperature, the flavors. With each bite, ask yourself “Do I like this? How is this bite now?” Remember, mindfulness is not about critiquing the food. Instead it’s a present moment awareness of your experience of the food, your surroundings, how your body feels in the chair, the people you’re with. When you’re fully present, the meal takes on a nurturing quality that feeds the body and the soul.
Add joyous movement.
This is a great time to get outdoors, try a new online yoga class, or just dance around the living room to your favorite album. Experiment a little. Be playful. This is NOT the time to add extra stress to you life because you’re trying to exercise a lot or keep up with your beach body friends on Instagram. Remember, I said playful! The point of exercise is to make you feel better, bump up your endorphins and reduce stress. If it feels more stressful to exercise, don’t do it!
Practice compassionate self-talk around food.
If you’re berating yourself every day with thoughts of how fat you are, how much you need to lose weight, and how little willpower you have around food, you’re going to feel terrible! And, you’ll have a hard time making positive changes. Instead, look at your behaviors around food with self-compassion.
It could sound like this: “Hmm. That’s interesting that you want ice cream for the second time today. It is totally OK to have it, Sweetie. Is it going to make your body feel good right now? How about later tonight? Maybe you can have just a portion or two so that your tummy will feel OK. You can have more tomorrow. The ice cream will always be there.”
It takes some practice so it doesn’t feel corny. Of course, you have to tell yourself things that feel believable to you. The key is to talk to yourself like you would your best friend: patient, compassionate, and solution-focused.
Ultimately, these times are hard on all of us. The coronavirus will end, and we will resume life as normal. Maybe as a new normal. Until then let’s just do the best we can, be compassionate with ourselves, and love the ones we’re with. Sending you all huyg
