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It's Friday and I have to tell you: I'm stressed.
Like everyone else, I've got my share of worries about the economy and the world in general. But with my book set for release in just a couple of weeks, I'm also facing an increasingly busy schedule of travel and other commitments. It's all good, believe me. But it's still stressful.
All this has got me thinking about a question that I've come to see as fundamental to my health: How do I handle stress? And how does that affect my family?
There was a time when a busy schedule or a daunting deadline would send me straight for the cookies. But during my year as Shape magazine's Weight-Loss Diary columnist, I learned a lot about what drove my stress eating. I learned that taking care of myself with exercise and healthy eating was a far better stress management tool than a date with a box of Thin Mints. Now, I'm more likely to take a power walk around the block with my dog, sing along loudly with my iPod or even crunch away on some raw veggies when I'm feeling overwhelmed.
As a mom, I've come to see how important it is to teach my kids how to handle stress in healthy ways (and if you've ever seen a seventh-grader worry about getting a project done on time, you know that kids have their fair share of stress, too). I'll confess that like many moms, I've sometimes used food to comfort my kids -- whether it's a lollipop after a shot at the pediatrician's office or a bowl of ice cream after a tough day at school. But using food as a coping tool can set up a bad habit that only gets harder to break. After all, treats have a welcome place in my life, but a treat is something I control -- if it controls me, it's something else entirely.
Stress happens -- it's part of life. But our reaction to it -- whether we succumb to it or deal with it -- sets the stage for how our kids will manage life's ups and downs, too. So yeah, I may be stressed, but you won't find me with my hand in the cookie jar today. Time to hit the pavement for a power walk.
