I was so stressed yesterday that I ate 8 cookies and bit every one of my fingernails down.

Gross. My hands look awful and I feel like I gained 3 pounds and I knew it while I was doing it but the stress was too overwhelming. Sounds crazy but I'm almost happy that it was only 8 cookies and they were small ones (butter size cookies). Still I feel gross.

Wed. Oct 10, 10:47am

have you brought this up to your group or team?

Wednesday, October 10, 2007, 10:49 AM

It happens to the best of us. Just try to exercise a lot today to make up for the cookies and go on from there like nothing happened. The excess calories will be worked off sooner or later. Buff your nails and put clear polish on them for now and they'll be looking decent in a week or two.

Wednesday, October 10, 2007, 12:11 PM

I'm a nail-biter myself. If I know I have unavoidable stress coming up, I try to make sure that there aren't any temptations in the house and losts of good stuff (eg cruchy stuff for me - carrots, apples, etc.) around if I turn into a munching beast.

There is a theory that it's all hormone based (not sex hormones, but stress hormones like cortisol) and that if you can fight of that muching urge for fifteen minutes (give or take) the spike in the hormone will fade somewhat allowing you to "get ahold of yourself." Better yet, try not to let it get that bad in the first place by either using "tricks"; visualisation, yoga, singing a favourite tune at the top of your lungs or, what I do, rubbing the edge of a silk blanket. Sounds stupid (and obviously related to childhod!) but what do I care? It works.

As you said, it could have been worse, and half the battle is realising why you ate like that in the first place. Sounds like you have that covered. And maybe once you're able to do more constructive things with your stress, you can get a manicure for your next goal reward! Crap. Just realised that kind of assumes you're female. Well, you know what I mean! All the best.

Wednesday, October 10, 2007, 12:26 PM

Hey, thanks. I was the one who originally posted this and just knowing that someone is listening makes me immediately more relaxed! Isn't that weird? The blanket thing doesn't sound stupid at all - I still have my stuffed animal "doggy" on my bed and I am way too old for it.

Wednesday, October 10, 2007, 12:35 PM

You are definitely not alone. I don't normally eat cookies, but if they are in the house, I feel like I should eat them all so they can be gone and I don't have to worry about eating them again. The safest thing for me (right now anyway until I get my own emotions straightened out) is just not to have those kinds of things in the house.

Wednesday, October 10, 2007, 12:43 PM

i go through phases of nail biting as well, usually during really stressful times. after gnawing my nails to the quick while researching a grad school paper, it took a few weeks to look somewhat normal again. i had acrylic nails applied so if i get the urge to gnaw i won't hurt my fingers again and they'll still look nice. i realize it's hell on my real nails... but at least they're indestructable now. eh.

just workout a bit harder for those cookies and tomorrow is a new day to start over fresh. good luck!

Wednesday, October 10, 2007, 8:33 PM

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