You read the other parts. Here are some things I do to stop the monster. I have been fortunate this time around and successful but I have a ton of years of failure. So don’t feel badly, it’s not just you. If we made a list of people who failed put me at the top where I belong.
Just keep trying. Failing only happens on the day you decide to give up. Everything else is just one more day you succeeded! One day you did it! And one day after another? You can do this!!!
Set yourself up for success! Eat!!!! Starving makes it ten times worse. Easier to deal with when you are full than overly hungry. You can stop yourself better when there is something digesting in your tummy.
That means having a good eating schedule that works for you. I do better if I eat throughout the day. Scheduled meals and snacks. I don’t like breakfast until about ten, so if you have to, take it to work. Have food with you. I don’t go anywhere without my “Just in case,” protein shakes. Two servings in zip lock bags inside a shaker container, small enough to carry everywhere. If not there, then in a plastic container in my purse. Always…..
Avoid sugar like it was the plague! Sugar intensifies the craving for more of it! I also don’t drink coffee when I am in that mood either because I am not sure why, it makes me want sugar, too… nothing screams emotional eating like sugar.
Make yourself something nice for your next meal. Something healthy but tasty! I buy myself that lovely olive oil from D’Avolio. The flavored kind. Yummmmmmm…. sometimes I just go the extra step make the salad beautiful! Top it with that! Love yourself enough to make great food!
Write it down… even if all you do is write, I want to eat something sugary because I am really angry right now. Air out your feelings even if all you do is rip it up after.
Break the reward and punishment cycled for good. Get your head to understand that food has a purpose and you need it for energy, cell repair, life. But you don’t need it to feel better…. stop saying, “Yes I do,”. See?! I do understand how you think! No! You don’t!! What your mind believes, your body will follow. Lie to yourself even if you don’t believe it yet! You keep,saying it and you will believe it! Besides deep down you know it’s true. We all took biology, we know we need food! Would you feed your kid garbage? Just to make them feel better?? We would hug them, talk to them. Help them…. treat yourself that way.
Have a support system. I have the most awesome doctor in the world! When I used to email Dr. Jack and talk about this, he gave me strategies. Get out of the room with the food that is screaming that you need it, change activities, change what your mind is focused on. If you are lucky to work with Dr. Jack there are supplements to help. I needed them in the beginning, now not as much.
If you fall off the horse, don’t chuck the whole ride. It happened, one time, one meal, one instance. Don’t let it be an excuse for a day of going nuts, or a week.
Phone a friend…. get out a book…..change activities. Anything to change the course.
Keep reminding yourself, this feeling will pass. It’s a child having a huge temper tantrum. Giving it attention will make it worse. Walk away from it. Let it cry and whine. It’s an addict and it is going through withdrawal. Feeding it will only set it back.
Deal with whatever the thing is that’s causing that feeling. Sometimes we want to eat rather than deal with what we have to. Just take care of it, and move on.
Be kind to yourself. You didn’t get here in a day and you aren’t losing it in a day. Little steps make progress, when strung together.
Let my last comment be this…..Love yourself…. that’s, I think, the most important thing. For me it all boils down to a simple fact that Dr. Jack made me see very clearly, right from the first day we talked…….. am I as kind to myself as I am to everyoneeeeeee else? Answer….. No…. and be honest, neither are you. I am trying to get better. You need to as well.
Conquer it! This is our year!!