Comfort Eating – 14 Ways To Relax Without Food Or Alcohol
Want to avoid comfort eating? Here are 14 DIFFERENT ways to relax without relying on food or alcohol for comfort.
Let’s chat about comfort eating.
Here’s something I learned back when I was working in an office environment – a happy hour can be a great way to unwind with coworkers after a stressful day at work.
It’s the perfect opportunity to bond with your colleagues, talk about your day, and listen to some upbeat music.
Same goes for mommy life socializing – there’s nothing nicer than catching up with fellow mom friends and kids after a long week doing all the routine stuff.
The only issue with these events is if you make such activities a regular routine, there’s a good chance you could be taking in more alcohol and empty calories than you want or need.
Plus, you may potentially be training your mind to think that consumption of good and alcohol is the only way to relax.
Now while you can’t remove stress from your daily life, you can certainly learn to deal with it without creating more troubles for yourself.
Start by looking at these ideas for relaxing without alcohol or food.
Calorie-Free Ways to Relax on Your Own:
COMFORT EATING
TIP # 1 – Breathe deeply.
Feeling crappy but don’t want to reach for a drink or some comfort food?
Here’s a good alternative.
Pause and take a few calming breaths.
Inhale from down in your diaphragm instead of up in your chest.
Lengthen your exhalations to match your inhalations.
Focus on the air as it moves in and out of your nostrils.
COMFORT EATING
TIP # 2 – Meditate and pray.
Sit down for a few moments and connect with yourself and the divine.
Observe your thoughts without judging them.
Give thanks for your blessings.
COMFORT EATING
TIP # 3 – Engage in visualization.
Close your eyes and imagine something that makes you feel happy and inspired.
Picture yourself surrounded by family and friends or excelling at a task that you find fulfilling.
COMFORT EATING
TIP # 4 – Draw a bath.
This is my go-to whenever I am feeling slightly stressed.
Fill your tub with warm water and set aside the time to enjoy a luxurious soak.
I recommend at least an hour!
Buy fragrant bath salts or feel free to make your own.
Set out fluffy towels and surround yourself with gorgeous-smelling scented candles.
How could you NOT relax in a serene space like this?
COMFORT EATING
TIP # 5 – Stretch your body.
Stretching is a must and to be super effective you need to do it multiple times throughout the day.
Make it a habit to stand up about every half hour when you’re working at your desk.
Place your hands on your lower spine for support, and do a slight backbend.
Rise up tall, and reach your hands down to the floor, bending your knees if necessary.
COMFORT EATING
TIP # 6 – Take a walk.
This is such a great way to start or end each day.
Take a stroll around the block or hike the trails in your local area.
Pick a quiet time of day and do your best to
Explore new routes.
COMFORT EATING
TIP # 7 – Appreciate nature.
Scientific studies prove that nature has the power to soothe us.
Head outdoors or watch videos about sandy beaches and ancient forests.
Revel in nature as it is AMAZING!
COMFORT EATING
TIP # 8 – Learn progressive relaxation.
You can also experiment with progressive muscle relaxation, which is a method of releasing muscle tension.
With progressive muscle relaxation (PMR), you tense up a group of muscles as you breathe in and then relax them, one by one.
Start with your hands, squeezing the muscle group as you breathe in, and releasing as you breathe out.
Continue across the rest of your body.
To enjoy the true benefits of PRM, you will do this consistently in order to really feel its magical power.
Calorie-Free Ways to Relax with Others:
COMFORT EATING
TIP # 9 – Practice yoga.
Yoga is known as the practice of quieting the mind and it’s all about taking care of your mind, body and spirit.
See if you can find a yoga class to attend with a friend.
Yoga is not a work-out, it is a work-in. And this is the point of spiritual practice; to make us teachable, to open up our hearts and focus our awareness so that we can know what we already know and be who we already are. Rolf Gates
COMFORT EATING
TIP # 10 – Play sports.
As long as you avoid extreme competition, sports can be a relaxing way to invigorate and strengthen your body.
Consider scheduling a game of tennis or soccer with your friends.
COMFORT EATING
TIP # 11 – Go dancing.
Now this one is my favorite suggestion!
I love dancing and this is the best way to take listening to music one step further – by getting out on the dance floor.
Sign up for some salsa lessons or spend your next girl’s night out at a club, pub or bar with a live band.
COMFORT EATING
TIP # 12 – Hang out with your dog.
Remember your animal companions too if you have them.
Studies show that spending time with them actually tends to be less stressful than interacting with humans because we don’t worry so much about being judged. They just love us for being us!
COMFORT EATING
TIP # 13 – Talk it over.
On the other hand, we can’t discount our fellow human friends, who are probably going to have better insights into how to deal with your current issues.
So call a friend or speak to a family member whenever you need to vent or consider a different perspective on whatever is on your mind.
COMFORT EATING
TIP # 14 – Laugh it up.
Humor makes our struggles easier to bear.
Spend time with others who encourage you to see the funny aspects of parenthood or life.
Plus here’s my secret tip – check out all the stand-up comedy shows on Netflix.
I am obsessed with having these shows play in the background whenever I need to relax and unwind.
So whether you’re on your own or surrounded by friends, I want you to know that you CAN find a way to relax and let go of stress safely, without having to resort to food or alcohol.
We sort of kid ourselves into thinking that they are useful ways to relax but the truth is they aren’t really tools for relaxing.
Spending time with friends – yes absolutely that is useful and healthy.
Drinking way too many margaritas or stuffing yourself with French fries – not so much!
Learning to relax without being dependent alcohol or food will not only help you to stay slim but also peaceful inside.
So consider implementing any of these tips the next time you are feeling stressed, need to relax but want to avoid your usual go-to of food or alcohol.
I wish you the best of luck on your journey!
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I’m Frances Vidakovic – a mindset & action coach for quietly ambitious women who want to stop overthinking and finally take aligned action. I help women achieve their goals and follow through on what matters, without sacrificing their sanity or soul.