What is it about stress that makes us eat terribly? Stress eating is that thing we do, when we mindlessly shove things in our mouth and chew without thinking while doing about 7 things at once at a frenetic speed.
This has been my life for the last month. I’ve been packing, writing and editing photos all under huge deadlines. The only thing that seemed to help speed me along, literally, was the constant chomping on crunchy kettle chips and drinking cold soda.
I know, I know… its a total scandal.
So I get it. Intellectually I understand that stress is about future thinking and spinning mental wheels on what can, will and might happen while trying to get things done in the moment. There is an unconsciousness to this state of being with loads of anxiety and mental frenzy. Its impossible to be present with anything you do, let alone eating, when you are in this state.
Why is it that instead of mindlessly grabbing at a tomato, a crunchy carrot, or an apple, its the chips and soda I grab? I mean, wouldn’t it be better to mindlessly eat really healthy food, as oppose to crap?
Did I just really ask that?
The last two days I’ve made myself huge crunchy and fresh salads. Its interesting to me that crunchy is a very common theme for me when I’m under pressure. Not sure what that’s about. For some its sugar, or alcohol, or even just good old salt. For me its all in the crunch. The louder and harder the better.
I’d like to say that I’m turning a new page, from this second on, eating nothing be healthy crunchy veggies while under all these deadlines, but I’m not. I think I’m just going to stick to the salads, and whatever other craving I seem to be having in the moment. I work better this way, adding the good to the bad, and letting the two work themselves out. Come next week I’ll be home. Yes, that’s home in Maui.
Next week deadlines will be over, everything will have been packed and shipped, and I’ll be setting up my new kitchen. I swear to you, my eyes well with tears just thinking about it.
More soon.
I absolutely love your witty musing on stress. (I just read it to my stressed out husband.) Good luck getting through everything. Crunch, crunch, crunch. 🙂
*laughs* I'm happy to report that I have graduated away from the crunchy which means things are a bit better! I'm on the island now and somehow the practice of unpacking feels really really good!