It can be a such a wonderful relationship when those voices in your head start pulling you back and forth, just to eat..
"just eat it, your hungry"
"NO! don't it's bad for me"
"it's just a little bit"
"I can't!"
"sure you can, it'll taste so good"
"no it won't"
"you know it will"
"but it's bad for me, it'll mess up my body"
"nah, that's just a myth"
"no it's real, it is bad and it makes me feel bad"
"awe c'mon, the pain will pass quickly later, your used to it, you want this now"
"no I don't, I'll get fat"
"but you deserve it, you work so hard"
"I can eat something better for me instead"
"but this is here now and you know you love it, let's celebrate!"
After a few minutes of this your stomach is still screaming Feed Me! like a mad Venus flytrap. Sound familiar? Not only does it happen with food, but also a number of other issues as long as the ego has something to say about it.
So what is the solution? Maybe you've managed to shed
some weight and feel better. You won the battle of wills,
you counted calories and lowered fat intake but you
haven't quite reached your goal and damned if you aren't
still craving all those "bad" foods like crazy... and damned
if you're going to settle. Maybe you give in just once and
think 'no more', but in the back of your mind you just
can't stop thinking about one more bite of a chocolate
donut or one more last supper before you start again...
It is a viscous cycle no matter how you justify it. The weight teeters up and down while your body is wondering what the heck is going on. It's probably in shock because of the inconsistency, but then perhaps this cycle has gone on for so long that you don't even know what normal hunger feels like anymore. You don't crave anything but "bad" foods and eventually you decided to forget the whole thing and just eat whatever. But this "out of control" eating choice is not without consequence because the judgmental little voice inside your head is laying on all sorts of guilt and anguish about your lack of will. It finds fault with nearly all aspects of your diet and eventually spill over into other areas of your life and eats away your self esteem as well as your self respect and confidence. Vicious indeed.
Falling From Nourishment Grace
So what is the answer? Have I gotten to it yet?
Maybe the picture of that donut or the burger
and fries has distracted you enough to go grab
a quick snack. It did me. I just ate a piece of
left over thin crust, pepperoni DiGiorno. It
was an appetizer, I justify, since I'm going to
be eating dinner in a little while.
And what is the answer again? This time
we're shooting for developing a genuine
awareness, the conscious part of "conscious
nourishment". The proposal:
Part 1 - 8 Steps to Start Developing Intuitive Eating
Disclaimer: I'm not a professional. This advise is not intended for serious eating disorders. Please seek professional support.
1. Forget everything the "experts" say and eat whatever you like - even donuts and french fries!
2. For food items you have a very strong craving for, make sure you have plenty on hand and remember you have free reign over these choices.
3. Plan exactly what your going to eat for each meal and snacks for one week at a time.
4. Whenever you eat pay extra close attention to the smell, taste and texture of the food.
5. Whenever possible, do nothing else besides eat. Find a quiet place all to yourself and simply experience the food.
6. Eat slowly and mindfully.. chew, taste, relax, breathe and enjoy.
7. Start a food journal. When you're finished eating record what you had to eat and include just as many adjectives as possible to describe the smell, taste and texture of the food. Also write down what thoughts were going through your mind and how you feel mentally, emotionally and physically.
8. Approximately one hour after eating, get your journal out again and note how your body physically feels again. Are you bloated, gassy, still hungry, feel good, sleepy? Whatever comes up record it.
Please remember, cater these steps to your personal taste and do as much as you can. It may take awhile to get used to, but every little bit is progress. To make the recording run a little smoother I've created to help keep track. I'll be doing this myself and I'd love to hear your experience with it as well. ContactBon appetite!
