How do I stop stress eating: Occupational Therapist, New Zealand -

By Leah / Client Stories

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I’ve been in Bali, Dubai and all over the world and not enjoyed a moment of it
I thought I was too messed up to be fixed
I went from being anorexic to restricting and bingeing to stress eating
My hair is shinier and I’m seeing a BIG difference in my weight (without dieting!!!)
I actually got my period back for the first time in a decade
I’ve stopped weighing myself but I had to buy new jeans because my old ones were too baggy

Years of dieting evolved into stress eating

Country: New Zealand

Career: Occupational Therapist

Age: 28

First diet: 17

Diets I’ve tried before: mainly restricting via calorie counting

Goal: to lose 10 pounds

Other preoccupying habits:

weighing myself
counting calories
exercising LOTS every day no matter what
comparing my food portions, meals, etc. with others on social media
bingeing & restricting cycle
stress eating

I knew Kelly could help me make habits that would change my life for EVER!!!!

And she did.

The investment is nothing when you get those kind of life-changing results.

Especially when we’re talking about health.

Stress eating was ruining my life

Before working with Kelly, I could have lots of good days in a row.
I was worried that I’d be this “big” forever— Leah, New Zealand
Then something would come up, like meeting friends at a pub, and I’d find myself stress eating because I hated what my body looked like.

Compared to my uni days, it looked like I’d just completely let myself go.

Also, because I’ve been struggling for a while, I was afraid I’d never lose weight.

I was worried that I’d be this “big” forever, which made me frustrated and feel hopeless all the time.

Having a bout of stress eating would just completely depress me

Stress eating took so much of my time:

all the anxiety before
the actual binge
then hating myself after

So I’d say “NO” to spending an afternoon with my family or going out for lunch with friends.
Having a bout of stress eating took so much time away from my writing— Leah, New Zealand
I’ve even been in Bali, Dubai and all over the world and not enjoyed a moment of it because I felt unsettled about what I ate.

And I’d lose whole evenings feeling upset which meant I couldn’t complete writing projects or do things I love, like read.

I stopped stress eating!

The first week I worked with Kelly, I noticed that I already had so much more energy!

And right away I thought about food less.

As soon as I started working with Kelly I felt mentally and physically lighter— Leah, New Zealand
And I feel super energized, full of life and mentally and physically lighter, by eating in the simple (but flexible!) routine that Kelly helped me build—especially as there’s no “specialty foods” I have to eat.

My first (of many!) breakthroughs with Kelly is that I quit emotional eating. And it’s the best feeling to have no desire to do that to myself. Overeating is an act of self harm.

I love that I can just go to any grocery store and buy regular food and eat regular meals.

I feel so normal!

Not only did I stop stress eating, I got surprising results

Working Kelly taught me how to NOT make eating the big focus of my life.

I was worried I might fixate on food by working with a coach, but Kelly’s method is so natural that I learned to eat so I feel full and nourished and can just move on with the day.

My relationship with food has 100% improved.

Pretty quickly I learned I don’t have to eat every three hours if I’m not hungry😅
I've become the best version of myself. And everybody notices! Including my boyfriend.— Leah, New Zealand
All the other guidelines I’ve been given, before working with Kelly, were so rigid they made me worry about everything I ate. But Kelly’s approach is so personalized that we built a routine that fits my life… even though I’m half way around the world from her!

My entire routine was naturally developed around my preferences with food and exercise.

It’s tailored, customized… curated just for me! He he. It’s all the stuff I love and so I LOVE my routine.

What I’m most excited about is that I’ve become the best version of myself. And everybody notices! Including my boyfriend.

They all love that I’m more relaxed because I’m not stress eating, which used to preoccupy me for days as I tried to get back on track.

My new lifestyle (free of stress eating!) makes me feel confident

Before I’d constantly be adding up calories as I put food together and be worried if I measured it out right, because I wanted the calorie count to be exact.

Now I walk into the kitchen and feel confident about what I eat, and choose food I feel like eating, rather than make food choices based on all the rules I’ve learned over the years.
Now I walk into the kitchen and choose food I feel like eating— Leah, New Zealand
Like if I want peanut butter I’ll eat that as part of my healthy meal. Or if I want an egg or tuna I’ll eat one of those choices instead. And know I’m on track,

I don’t feel tied down to a strict eating plan anymore which makes me feel so free!

And my flexible routine has allowed me to concentrate on writing my book.

Eating is simple now.

Also I don’t exercise every day like I thought I had to!

This has given me back so many hours each week to write and hang out with friends instead.

I actually got my period back for the first time in a decade.

My hair is shinier already and I’m definitely seeing a big difference in my weight.

Thanks to Kelly, I’ve stopped weighing myself. So I’m not sure of the exact amount. But I know I’ve lost weight because my jeans got so baggy I had to use a belt. And then it just got to the point I had to go shopping 🙂

Not sad about that!
I don't exercise every day like I thought I had to. This has given me back so many hours each week— Leah, New Zealand
And all of this was without dieting.

Biggest shock?!

I learnt the ability to trust my hunger queues.

And my intuition.

Living without stress eating and with a routine I feel confident about has changed every part of my life

Kelly is amazing!

I was so grateful for her daily comments, the option to email her with questions if needed, and receive responses with encouragement, support and strategies really quickly.

She helped me stay on track and ingrain new, healthy thought patterns.

Kelly’s accountability was key in my recovery.
Kelly's encouragement, support and strategies got me to stay on track— Leah, New Zealand
For years I thought I was totally f-cked up because of food. And that I could never get better.

Also I’d be really hyper to sort of cover up how I was feeling and to make sure everyone believed I was ok.

But that’s all changed by working with Kelly.

Truly I’ve never felt so free.

I feel more like “me” than I have in a long time.