Contest* Our guest this week Judith Lederman is the author of Joining the Thin Club: Tips for Toning Your Mind After You’ve Trimmed Your Body (Three Rivers Press). The book contains tips for losing weight and keeping it off for good.

If ever there has been a time to get emotional, it’s been these past few weeks. Between the stock market volatility, and the anxious atmosphere that pervades almost any workplace, the tendency is to nest and horde – two psychological behaviors that, when combined, translate into eating endlessly. Who knows if tomorrow we will have money left for food—so let the eating frenzy begin! And before you know it, as the market drops, the scale tops! I should add, that I am writing this from the perspective of a woman who lost 80 lbs. AND whose job was eliminated last February. I am determined not to let market fluctuations and work-related anxiety send me back to size 22!

So how do we quell the tendencies to stuff our anxiety by stuffing our mouths full of food?

I can only tell you what I’m doing:

1. Don’t be “cookie-whipped!” Victim mentality is a state of mind so easy to fall into, as I reference in chapter six (Risky Times) of my book, Joining the Thin Club: Tips for Toning Your Mind After You’ve Trimmed Your Body. Whether it is the market or the milkshake that is your dominatrix, put your mind in gear and take back your life.
2. Stay in motion! Yes, most of us are pretty sedentary most of the day but set aside time EACH DAY to do a cardio-workout. It will boost your brain chemicals and make you feel better AND it will burn some of the excess calories you may consume if you ARE an emotional eater. I kickbox every morning. It takes the edge off the rest of the day.
3. Plan, plan, PLAN! Now, more than ever, if you are working in a traditional workplace, bring your meals with you. You will feel like you are saving yourself money – AND you can control your meals and snacks without resorting to caloric cafe food. If you work at home, make sure that you take a lunch break. When you are your own boss, there is a tendency to just grab easy food and eat in front of the computer. After all, no one is paying you to eat lunch. I take the time and fix myself a healthy snack – and eat it AWAY from the computer. (I only tweet about my snacks! LOL).
4. Keep fueled during the day (small high protein meals will keep your blood sugar from dipping and making you anxious). Opt for green tea instead of coffee. Limit caffeine intake. And add Omega 3 fish oil to your diet. It is a natural anti-depressant. A handful of almonds is good too.
5. Pray! I add prayers to my day to help me meditate and gain perspective. When I realize that I am not always the one in control, it helps me deal with the downturns that life occasionally produces.

So, let the stock market do what it’s doing. I’ll find a way to pay the rent. But when I come out of the economic downturn and times are good again, I want to be able to fit into the sexy gold sheath that fits me just right! No muumuus for this working mama!

*Judith Lederman will give away one signed copy of the book to the lucky winner! To enter for the give away simply share an action(s) that you take to stay on the health path during your journey ?

The winner of the book will be picked on Wednesday Oct. 1st. !

For a copy of the book you can visit Judith Lederman at Joining the Thin Club.

—The Winner of the signed book giveaway is Sagan…Congratulations Sagan!—