I would love to hear your suggestions for how you cope when you are having a hard time with stress, focusing on your weight loss, food cravings etc? Specifically coping mechanisms that aren't related to food in any way. Please share what helps you in troubled times! Thank you in advance ❤️

Exercise. Taking a walk is so therapeutic on so many levels.

5 hours ago, AZhiker said:

Exercise. Taking a walk is so therapeutic on so many levels.

Walk in nature for stress, especially by a beach or water (lake/river), you can try mediation, not sure when you had surgery but yoga ?‍♀️

Do fun things not involving food - paint rocks, watch a movie, put a puzzle together, listen to music and dance, ride bike.

Reading is how I cope. I enjoy it and it takes my mind off of any stress I'm feeling.

13 hours ago, AZhiker said:

Exercise. Taking a walk is so therapeutic on so many levels.

I realized yesterday, I had not spent that much time outside in a LONG time. So sad!

8 hours ago, Ostflicka said:

Walk in nature for stress, especially by a beach or Water (lake/river), you can try mediation, not sure when you had surgery but yoga ?‍♀️

Do fun things not involving food - paint rocks, watch a movie, put a puzzle together, listen to music and dance, ride bike.

I haven't had surgery yet, but I'm trying to work on fixing all my bad habits in the 6 month countdown. Yoga is a big one. I really miss it. I think I just need to take a second and focus when these things happen. Its like I forget I have other options.

Craft.

I have begun to craft again. Cross stitching, diamond painting, etc. I want to try new crafts to stretch myself like painting (paint my number kits...I am comfortable following directions rather than open ended), I want to try knitting or crochet, puzzles are fun, I glue them up and mount them and have a whole wall of them.

lots of YouTube on anything you can thing of to get started on any hobby.

It’s getting colder so keep in mind to find indoor activities as well as outdoor.

Exercise (walking and strength training) is a big help. Also music helps me a lot. I put music on, blast it loud if I want, sing and dance along, whatever I feel like. It helps.

I know you said non-food related, but one thing that helps with cravings is this advice that I received: "Before you eat something bad, eat something good." What that meant was, before giving in to a craving to eat something totally off plan, have an on-plan snack and often the craving will lessen or go away. I've tried it and it's worked for me many times.

Lately, I remind myself that my food and my health are the only things I have control over. I hope to be able to get back to intense cardio so I can pretend I'm running away from my problems (while listening to music) once I lose a bit more weight. I watch fantasy shows that have little to do with reality or I read books. I need to get back into crafting and art too.

I'm pre-op as well and I feel like I have been working on coping mechanisms for quite a few years now as I became more and more aware of how I am a sugar addict/compulsive overeater.

I don't go to OA now but I have gone many times in past years. Friends from OA taught me how to use things other than food to help me cope like:

Calling a friend, going for a walk, journal, praying/meditation, quilting. I would say journaling has been my biggest help. When I didn't know what to write I either just put my pen to paper and kept writing anything for 15 minutes. Even if I wrote the same word &uck 1000 times I always felt better afterword. You could write a gratitude list or.......write about an issue that's been bothering you. You can burn it afterwords. No one has to see it.

Another thing is to write a letter to yourself but do it from the perspective of a good friend. In other words a good friend would be kind, forgiving, loving and caring. She/he would want to take care of you.

Best wishes on your journey.

On 11/3/2020 at 3:34 PM, Morachia said:

Specifically coping mechanisms that aren't related to food in any way.

I stress clean/organize, immerse in fiction and research topics (doesn't matter what)

Taking a hot bath helps me. I also like a nice walk, and doing crafts or anything involving art. I really love painting my nails and doing nail art. It relaxes me.
Also, organizing things is relaxing to me. I clean a lot when I'm stressed.

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19 hours ago, 1000islandgirl said:

I'm pre-op as well and I feel like I have been working on coping mechanisms for quite a few years now as I became more and more aware of how I am a sugar addict/compulsive overeater.

I don't go to OA now but I have gone many times in past years. Friends from OA taught me how to use things other than food to help me cope like:

Calling a friend, going for a walk, journal, praying/meditation, quilting. I would say journaling has been my biggest help. When I didn't know what to write I either just put my pen to paper and kept writing anything for 15 minutes. Even if I wrote the same word &uck 1000 times I always felt better afterword. You could write a gratitude list or.......write about an issue that's been bothering you. You can burn it afterwords. No one has to see it.

Another thing is to write a letter to yourself but do it from the perspective of a good friend. In other words a good friend would be kind, forgiving, loving and caring. She/he would want to take care of you.

Best wishes on your journey.

I will say Journaling has been a HUGE help for me too. The days I journal, are the days I do the best. Thank you for your points, they are super helpful.

On 11/4/2020 at 7:45 AM, Jstevens said:

Craft.

I have begun to craft again. Cross stitching, diamond painting, etc. I want to try new crafts to stretch myself like painting (paint my number kits...I am comfortable following directions rather than open ended), I want to try knitting or crochet, puzzles are fun, I glue them up and mount them and have a whole wall of them.

lots of YouTube on anything you can thing of to get started on any hobby.

It’s getting colder so keep in mind to find indoor activities as well as outdoor.

This is awesome. I'm a huge crafter too...I say this while I'm surrounded by 10 unfinished projects lol! They are all pretty big ones, so maybe I need small projects or something I can do in 20 to 30 minutes. I like to make costumes and upcycled art.

Make a list of things you love to do but don't get to do often enough..... list all the craft ideas you would love to do - and order yourself some ! Make that list ahead of time and make sure that you have the ability to do most of them --

Some of mine are:

clean out one drawer (feels great afterwards !)

deep condition my hair

garden ! (rake leaves, plant something, weed, sweep)

Play with the dog - dog walk - dog on car ride -

Take a nature walk

walk at outside mall and window shop

Yoga and if that is too much, Yoga breathing with my feet up against a wall for 20 minutes

Call a friend

Write old fashioned letters/cards to old friends/family

Sit outside (if you do not have a yard, try a park) and watch the birds

read a great book.

I am pre-op but have been actively working on coping skills. Food will always be the preferred way so it takes a lot of intention for me to choose another coping strategy instead.

Walking is the most effective for me but it can take some power of will to get myself out the door some days, especially if the weather isn't nice. Some "easier" back ups I have are:

• Listen/watch ASMR videos
• True crime podcasts while doing some tidying / laundry folding
• Some pampering (give myself a pedicure/manicure, hair mask, face mask, etc)

If the stressor is something that I am really struggling with and want to vent, I journal on my private Tumblr page.