Do you think it is trivial to focus on weight loss and fitness when there is so much tragedy occurring in the world today?
I’ve been thinking about this since the senseless shooting at Virginia Tech on Monday. Even though I don’t have a direct connection to this tragedy, I am still affected by it, just like I imagine everyone else is.
I can definitely see a harmful effect that could occur in many people’s (emotional) lives because of events such as this. The war (and death toll) in Iraq, 9/11, office rage shootings, the shooting of elementary school children, as well as the Virginia Tech shooting can stir up much fear and anxiety in people even when they do not have a direct connection to these events.
Additionally, the residents of the U.S. are not isolated in these fears, as there are more and more of these types of events occurring (and have been occurring) around the world. For many, they can begin to feel unsafe in what was once a safe world, feel afraid to carry on with everyday events, and feel a general sense of daily anxiety.
What does this have to do with the topic of weight loss? If you abuse food, are an emotional and/or binge eater, or a food addict, you may feel compelled to turn to food for comfort. If you are feeling unsafe, you may tend to reach for food out of habit. You may reach for food when you are not hungry to try to make yourself feel better, to forget about what is going on in the world, and to make it all go away. You may binge on sweets, or seek out bags of salty, crunchy foods.
You may also find that even though you have been doing wonderfully with your weight loss and exercise program up to this point, that when such scary events happen in the world, all of your progress is derailed and you revert to old eating and (lack of) exercise habits.
I believe that there are more people who are affected by these events than are not. I would imagine that sweet, smooth, crunchy comfort food sales go up during these times. Getting back to my opening question of whether it is trivial to focus on weight loss during times like this, my opinion is that it is not. I do think that it is just as important to focus on our eating and exercise habits during stressful times, as well as the “easier” times in life. If we do not take care of our own physical and mental health, who will?
The stronger you are in your overall well-being, the better able you are to cope with the stresses of daily life. I do not feel that it is trivial to continue healthy eating and exercise during these times, especially if you have an addiction to certain foods. If you revert to your old habits of using and abusing food, you will likely make it much harder for yourself to get back on a healthy track. What do you think?
