No need to turn to food for comfort when under stress

The thing that makes the Motivation Weight Management programme so successful is the way it changes your way of thinking.
I had a difficult time over the past week with two members of my family ill - I was running around looking after them, going to work and then my car packed in, so I was rushing to mechanics on top of everything else.
This would have been my major downfall in the past - I was rushing aorund, wasn’t organised - I was ripe for choosing rubbish, chocolate or a great big takeaway when I got hungry - stressful weeks like that would have always caused me to eat the wrong things, eat too much and gain weight.
Motivation certainly changes the way you think and changes it subconsciously - I haven’t been very orgnaised this past week for obvious reasons. I was eating on the hoof, forgot to bring my lunch with me, hadn’t a protein bar to hand when I needed it, but despite all that, I obviously made some good choices, because I didn’t gain any weight.
As my counsellor Siobhan points out, life gets in the way, you have to get on with your life and deal with things, but that doesnt mean you totally ignore your own health and healthy eating plan.
Subconsciously I chose better options this past week, almost without knowing it, because I was dreading stepping on the scales this week, convinced I would have gained weight, but somewhere in the back of my mind, when I bought snacks at deli counters or had a bite to eat in the coffee shop, I still made the healtier choices.
Delighted with the result and with everyone now well on the road to recovery, I am bouyed up with enthusiasm for the coming week.
Dr Maurice Larocque, the founder of the Motivation programme has a wonderful CD I listen to regularly. It is full of stories of people who had a variety of psychological reasons for gaining weight. Clearly, the way they behave under stress hit a chord with me and has made me change the way I deal with doffoculties.
While I wasn’t as organised as I should have been and hadn’t the very best choices available to me, I didn’t go for the comfort eating - and that was obviously what made the difference.
The CD also includes a mind programming segment and listening to it has left me feeling calmer in all areas of my life.
Another great psychological trick that is helping me on my weight loss journey is to treat myself to non food rewards.
Until now if I wanted to reward myself for a job well done or to celebrate something, it tended to involve either food or drink. Now, as recommended by Siobhan, I reward myself in other ways instead - a good book, a nice manicure or a new lipstick - the trick is to forget about food excep as a fuel for life - not as a reward or something to turn to for comfort.
So now I will embark on yet another week - I will learn from my mistakes - and will be more organised no matter what, and will check in with you again next week.