Why is managing through the good and bad times important?
There are many ways that foods can affect how we feel, just as how we feel can influence what foods we eat. This is often related due to existing associations or memories of food with previous positive or negative experiences.
Food is at the centre of so many things that we do. It is part of how we celebrate happy and sad times, connect with others during grief or loss, and mark joyful moments.
What can I do to manage the good times and bad?
It’s important to understand why we feel the way we do and how we react to that feeling. There are times when we are tired, upset, happy or sad that we may use food to comfort or celebrate. There are some things you can do to recognise how you feel and how to respond:
- Accept what’s going on or the situation you are in. It’s ok to be happy or sad; accepting and dealing with how you feel is important.
- Use a diary to track what you’ve eaten and how you felt when you ate.
- Appreciate what’s around you. This might be connecting with a friend or someone you work with.
- Be physically active and spend time outside.
If you’re attending a celebration event, allow yourself to enjoy the food available, but also think about strategies to avoid eating too much. If you’re attending the event with someone let them know how you’re feeling so they can support you.
The ups and downs of life are unavoidable
Think about what matters to you and make time for it. This might be spending quality time with friends and families, time for your hobbies, trying something new or helping other people. Doing these things boosts our mental wellbeing and can help us to better respond to life's challenges.
Even when times are hard try to think about things you are grateful for, no matter how small, noticing the things we are grateful for can help us to build the mental and emotional energy to get through challenges.
How else might you manage difficult feelings?
Is there someone you can talk to or an activity that can help distract you? Don’t ignore problems but do allow yourself some time to think about and do the things you enjoy.
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