Hurricane Sandy made me fat!

The #1 complaint from my hurricane Sandy battered clients this week has been:  "Hurricane Sandy made me fat."

According to the New York Times, the most damaging aftereffect of the super-storm is tight jeans. They are terming this tragic condition the "Sandy Five" (similar to the "freshman  15," an expression used to refer to the weight gain often associated with the first year of college). Experts say this is a very common side effect of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and that it is not uncommon for people to gain weight after a storm.

My words of wisdom to my clients: Often the strongest cravings for foods occur when people are emotionally wrecked. We went through an historic epic catastrophe and we are only human.  If we can find comfort in food then let it be!  Yes, emotional eating can sabotage our hard earned weight-loss efforts, but the good news is we can start fresh and take steps to get right back on track with our weight loss goals.

How you dealt with this challenge: You came to your appointment. You did not use the storm as an excuse to skip your regularly scheduled visit. That is to be commended! And now you need to forgive yourself and start fresh. Let's focus on making positive changes and on moving forward.