Overeating during social distancing

Greetings, Folks!

Thanks for dropping by.

Let’s start off by saying what we’re all likely thinking – this stay-at-home order is tough, and it is scary! Phew, that felt good.

​While we definitely recognize how important and needed the order is, it is changing every aspect of our lives – our routine, our sense of freedom, our connectedness with others, and maybe even our eating habits…

Making health promoting choices is difficult on any given day; and now we have a whole new way of living, perhaps contributing to some difficulty with eating habits.

So, here’s the big question, how do we continue to make healthy choices despite all this change? Here’s a few tips:

• Continue to meal prep. Plan your meals and think ahead. Set aside your snacks for the day and make your choices ahead of time.
• Become aware of what you are feeling. There are so many feelings to be had right now and chances are, those feelings are your eating triggers. Try journaling, reaching out to your therapist, going for a walk, or meditating.
• Take it moment by moment. If you had a rough moment or day and are not pleased with the way you felt or what you ate, start again. You can always start eating differently at.this. exact. moment.
• Create a guideline for yourself. Identify your biggest overeating trigger and create a guideline around that. Maybe its “I will not eat in front of the TV 5 days of the week,” maybe its “I will take 2 minutes to be present before I begin eating” maybe its “I will sit down each time I eat, not matter what.” You get to choose. Identify those triggers and develop a doable guideline to follow.
• Keep in contact. We are social beings and connecting with others is a core way we cope with stress. Lean on your support team!
• Continue to move. Go for a walk. Lift some weights. Dance. Pick something you enjoy and keep your body moving. And remember, 5 minutes is more than 0!
• Do NOT discount your efforts. The minute you say “well I only exercised for 5 minutes” is the moment you have decided you will stop exercising! FIVE IS GREATER THAN ZERO!

What are your thoughts, questions, or concerns? Share them here and let’s help each other get through this ever-changing and difficult time in our lives! We are not alone!

---

Dr. Varga