Tom’s June Update

These first few weeks of fatherhood have been, in a word, stressful.

Admittedly my situation is not unique. Every new parent has had that “oh sh*t” realization that there’s this brand new human you’re responsible for keeping alive, and you’re somehow supposed to know what to do despite never having done this before. Add in the sleep deprivation, and it’s no surprise that I haven’t been making the best eating choices . . . which then adds more guilt (i.e., stress) to the mix. It’s a vicious cycle. And whether you’re a parent or not, I’m sure you recognize it.

People gain weight during stressful times for all sorts of reasons, but I suspect many of us have been conditioned to reward ourselves with food (or drinks). When I was growing up, any difficult thing that I accomplished or endured was rewarded with food. Got good grades? Let’s go out for ice cream. Finished your chores? Have a cupcake. This was how my parents themselves were conditioned—my mom told me that when she was pregnant with me, she would leave a successful doctor’s checkup and immediately drive to the donut shop to treat herself. (My obsession with donuts clearly started early!)

All of this to say, we often struggle