Here is some good news LOL, maybe... I left Weight Watchers a long time
ago but still get emails from time to time.. here is one from them
written by Mike Bruno (not sure who he is but its only right that he
deserves the credit since he wrote this) Here is the article.
It's
no secret that when things aren't exactly going our way, we tend to
crave fattening, familiar food. Is there a better salve for a long,
frustrating day than a bowl of ice cream or a nice bacon cheeseburger?
Whatever your particular culinary weakness, all humans seem to take
solace in some type of comfort food when feeling stressed or upset.No
kidding, why do you think I put all of that weight back on since the
beginning of last year that I had worked so hard to lose a few years
ago? Stress got into the way, life got ugly and this is how I coped!
A
University of California San Francisco (UCSF) study, published Sept.
15, 2003, in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,
indicates that this urge to splurge might actually serve a biological
purpose: Eating high-calorie comfort food may have the power to make
you feel less stressed out.No way!! Really??? You think? *like I didn't know that*
Stressful
events, like getting cut off in traffic, release hormones that make us
feel agitated and angry. Although the body has a natural inhibiting
system that in time will diminish the stress, a continuous stream of
threats, scares or frustrations — like driving in rush hour traffic
every day of the week — can override the shutdown function. This
creates a state of chronic stress, and a feeling of perpetual tension.No kidding
The
UCSF research found that calorie-laden foods can interrupt that cycle
and help shut the stress down. It also found that only the real thing
will do. The study explains that substituting low-calorie options —
like nonfat frozen yogurt for full-fat ice cream — won't do the trick.
Your taste buds can tell the difference and as a result, the low-cal
foods aren't as comforting.I wish you hadn't said that, I
am trying to not make excuses for eating the wrong foods when I am
stressed, now I am given a reason to lol
Of course,
limitless chocolate also presents its own series of problems. How do
you get the stress-reducing benefits of full-fat favourites and still
keep your waistline slim? The key is portion control. "Instead of
eating four pieces of fried chicken, just eat one and really enjoy it,"
says Roberta Anding, RD, spokesperson for the American Dietetic
Association. "Realise that [if you're stressed,] you're going to eat
some high-fat food, but balance out the rest of your plate with things
like a baked potato with salsa or some steamed veggies with dill."Baked potato is not as low cal as people think and besides, who is going to think logically when stressed out? Come on!
So
when the realities of life make you feel like you're going to tear your
hair out, it's OK, helpful even, to indulge in that macaroni and
cheese. Don't feel like you've made some irreparable mistake. Enjoy it
in moderation and relax. It's your body's natural way of calming you
down.Moderation? Can someone tell me what moderation means? Thanks for this article, very interesting.
Tags: Weight Stress Eating
