The recession hasn’t curbed my appetite.

I’m on a diet.

Like always.

And if I’m not careful, I find myself reaching for low cost comfort foods.

Here’s two examples of how tough times have affected the weight of many of us, with 7 solutions for the “weight gain” camp.

~~~

1)  Financial hardship has led to “recession pounds”

Less expensive foods fill you up faster.  And when I need comfort food, I don’t reach for an apple.

Wall Street tells the story.

• McDonalds and Burger King is the place to be in the stock market these days.
• “Buy stock in pasta,” advises Stockweb.com.  “Shares of AIPC ( American Italian Pasta Company) have something around 110% performance since the beginning of the year and is one of the best performing stocks this year (2008.)”

What you can do?

If you’re finding your comfort in food these days:

• pick up a copy of Dr. Judith Beck’s, The Diet Solution at the library, and learn to “think like a thin person.” Not your run of the mill fad diet book, Beck bases her suggestions on sound cognitive principles developed by her father, Dr. Aaron Beck.

• stay at the perimeter of the grocery store. That’s where most of the more nutritional foods are.

• think about it. If you eat less, you’ll spend less, and will be able to afford better food.

• HALT.  it’s ok to let yourself feel hungry for a few hours.  But a lethal combination is being hungry, angry, lonely and tired.  This is an Alcoholics Anonymous acronym that I use for everything.  To battle the hungry part, keep healthy snacks with you.

• it takes twenty minutes for your body to respond to something you eat. So eat slower, and consciously wait to feel the response.  You’ll realize how little your body needs to ward off hunger.

• follow these tips from Wise Bread’s post “How to Avoid Putting on Recession Pounds.” It’s full of great suggestions for staving off the pounds.  Here’s a great quote from the article: “It is ironic when you think that in the past, lower socioeconomic standing often resulted in people losing weight due to lack of food. In the modern era of plenty, however, obesity has now become a symptom of poverty because these highly processed foods are not only promoted vigorously and widely accessible, but they are also cheap.”

• you’ve heard it before but I’ll say it again.  Exercise! Do anything!  You’ll feel better!

2)  Companies have been tightening their belts on corporate lunches

“I can’t justify cocktails and fillet mignon when I’m laying off employees,” says one CEO.  “It’s coffee at Starbucks now.”

And when executives are springing for lunch they’re often choosing healthier options.  “Sometimes I’ll ask clients to meet me at McDonalds,” says a well known publisher.  “But often we’ll hook up at a lower priced restaurant with a good salad bar.”

According to the Boston Globe, “The thinning ranks of the region’s executives and financiers has spurred business for tailors in Wellesley and Harvard Square on Newbury Street in Boston, who report a steady stream of clients dropping off cashmere top coats, Brooks Brothers suit skirts, and Brioni trousers in need of resizing for trimmer physiques.”

They don’t want to spend the money on new clothes.  After all, the layoffs are still going strong.  Who knows if they’ll be next?

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