I've been doing a lot of thinking lately. About what makes me eat, and why I feel like I'm 'hungry' all the time. I've looked at my lifestyle changes over the last few years and, well, I've finally found the root of my problem...
When I was in college, every day was different. I was driving a lot from here to there, going to class, going to photo shoots, working as a waitress, and sat at my desk for only a few hours each day. I had little to no time to think about food or snacking. Food was NOT a priority. I ate when I was hungry and stopped when I was full. Of course I was eating healthy and watching calories too. I was also working out (probably an equal amount as I am now).
Now that I'm working in a corporate office, every day is the same. I'm driving to and from the same place, and sitting on my ever-growing butt for 8 hours, and I am constantly putting things in my mouth regardless if I'm hungry or not. I'm bored almost all the time, and because of that, I constantly think about food and the next thing I'm going to eat.
The diagnosis? -- I am unfulfilled with my career and my job situation, so I fulfill my emptiness with the most convenient thing - FOOD. Because I am chained to my desk for 8 hours, my freedom and activities are VERY limited, and it makes me feel trapped. So I eat my frustrations, which ironically, just creates more frustrations.
"Many people feel emotionally empty for one reason or another, and more often than not, food is the most convenient thing that comforts them."
Luckily I am working on a new career path, which will give me a lot more freedom and movement, which will remove me from cubicle life, and allow me to focus MORE on my CRAFT and LESS on EATING everything in sight.
It's so great that you've identified what was making you eat. Now you can work on fixing it.
ReplyDeleteI should do the same thing.
Yes! It's good that you've identified the issue, and that you have a plan to fix it.
ReplyDeleteIn the meanwhile - you CAN cope with sitting-on-my-butt all day issue. I LURVE my career choice - I'm a professional engineer - and I sit at my desk all day long, thinking great thoughts and doing lots of math in my head. However, I set my timer in Outlook and once every hour, I get up from the desk, walk around the office, take the stairs down to survey and walk back up, or even step outside and make a quick walk around the building. Five minutes total, and I come back to my desk refreshed and ready to think again.
Just because you have a desk job, you aren't necessarily chained to the desk.
I agree that having a desk job will make anyone want to eat all day (I have a desk job, so I know). I try to keep healthy snacks around like apples and trail mix and that seems to work for me. But of course there are the days when I give in to the donuts that a coworker brought in.
ReplyDeletexo
Valerie