Stress Busters!

Stress. It sucks. But like many things that suck, it is something we will inevitably always face.

Be it stress from work, the kids, paying a mortgage, planning a wedding, dealing with family, whatever the case, we all face stress at some (mostly numerous) times in our lives. How we combat stress is the issue though. I used to eat.

Working in the public service (or any office environment really) there is usually dozens of blasted fundraising chocolates (ironically, a little fat frog called Freddo), coke machines, cafes, social club lollies (and alcohol). And, well, let's face it - nothing but a chair to plant ones butt in all day! Let's be honest, it's a recipe for fat!

There were days in years gone by where I could feel my buttock expanding as I savoured my 3rd Freddo for the hour before contemplating eating his mate, Caramello Koala. Worst of all, Freddo and Caramelly didn't even account for the hot chips, cappuccino's, roast beef and gravy rolls (YUUUMMMM...*drool*) and anything else laden with fat or sugar to to help me blast the stress away. It was not uncommon for me to sit at my desk surfing the net whilst chowing down large quantities of food and washing it down with a guzzle (or is that gallon) of coke.

The truth is, If I wasn't eating to stave off the stress, I was shopping. Usually for food.

I suspect that much of this behaviour came from my days as a faithful and aptly profiled employee of Darell Lea chocolates. Each morning I would front up to work, wash my coffee down with a handful of caramel snows and begin the laborious task of individually packing a vast assortment of chocolate and lollies. Naturally sampling was a must, and the "one for you, one for me" slogan rang true to form.

During my employment at Darrell Lea, Sexy Twin and I were renting a small town-house and at times struggling to pay the rent, utilities and make ends meet. In addition to the stress this caused, we (yes, that's right, Sexy Twin was a Darrell Lea employee also) had the unfortunate pleasure of working with a tyrant of a man whose middle aged, balding, impotent, insecurities, somehow convinced him it was appropriate to comment on our attire, make-up, breasts, butts and sexual appeal from time to time. **

Each time he would leave the shop I would chow down on Peanut brittle followed by Coconut Roughs before retiring to the 'Pix N Mix', all the while harbouring immense frustration at my 18 year old inability to tell the guy to "F^*K OFF" .

Yes, I am almost certain my emotional/stress eating generated at this point in my life. I carried these behaviours, and subsequent kilos, with me for a number of years.

These days when I feel tense, tired, angry, stressed, woeful etc etc I run.

Tonight when I arrived home from work I was feeling despondent and lethargic. In typical Public Service, waking through the night to feed a baby fashion, I'd consumed too much caffeine, not enough water and failed to avert my eyes from my computer screen for most of the day, resulting in a typical office employee headache tinged with a caffeine high. As I was changing out of my work clothes and preparing to put on my pyjamas and call it a day ("yes Muscle Man, that's right - dinner in bed please") I decided that the best way to beat my 'Mondayitis', stress induced, coffee addled mood was to get off my butt (heaven knows it's been sat on enough today) and get moving.

30 glorious minutes later my head was clear, my heart pounding, my desire to eat everything within a 5 mile radius abated, and my mood calm.

Yes, it can not be denied, exercise is the BEST way to beat stress. A glass of wine and sex help too but I'd have them in that order. Exercise, wine, sex ;o)

** That foul individual (harsh but fair) is now packing drink vending machines for a living. And who said karma isn't alive and kicking!