Congratulations on waking up each morning and greeting the day with renewed determination! Perhaps you rise and say, Today's the day - I will make it through the entire day sticking to my diet goals." What a wonderful, optimistic way to begin a fresh day. Ahead of you lies the promise of a new day, a fresh start.
Sometimes though, as experience has shown, good intentions alone aren't enough to overpower the urge to binge. This is where positive desire needs to be coupled with a sound action plan. Willpower alone isn't enough to overcome a craving, the desire to binge or compulsively overeat. What provides empowerment is a predetermined, personalized plan of action. An individual plan that was carefully thought out ahead of time and written down.
Think about it - when was the last time you 'easily' sidestepped a binge or craving? Or 'effortlessly' drove past the fast food restaurant when a craving hit? Chances are, the urge to eat was so strong that it blocked out all rational, goal oriented thought. In a moment of crisis, focus and optimistic intentions seem to disappear.
Believe it or not, the part of you that woke up this morning and firmly stated that today was going to be a success, is still there. A part of you does still want to make it through the day without overeating. Hidden somewhere behind the overwhelming urge to eat is that aspect of you that was so confident earlier. It''s going to be your job to go looking for it and to bring it back to the forefront. For this, you''re going to need some tools in your tool box.
When you're in the midst of a crisis is no time to be gathering new tools. Instead, during strong and confident times is when it's time to prepare your tool box. That way, when you need them they are already there. You'll just have to open the box and dig them out when needed. Use the guidelines below to begin preparing your personal plan of action to bypass a possible binge or craving.
PRE-BINGE PLANNING
Once you're in the midst of a crisis, it's often impossible to view what's going on objectively. Overwhelmed by the desire to eat, it's difficult to gain the perspective needed to seek out alternative actions. It's possible that eating is your familiar way of coping with what's going on. So the urge may be intense. With such a powerful desire to eat, your mind is not going to be focused enough to recall your big picture. Take time now to solidify the long range foundation of your personal goals.
A. "CRISIS STRATEGY LIST" Develop a list of things you can do, or have done in the past, to overcome the need to eat. When a crisis moment hits, you can decide which category or categories of ideas might help you through the moment. Include ideas in all the following categories:
DISTRACTION Ideas that bring pleasure and/or distance from food. Examples might include craft hobbies, walking, cleaning house, planting in garden, etc.
1.
2.
3.
4.
BEHAVIORAL STRATEGIES Options that help you deal with your environment. These strategies might include drinking water to see if you were really thirsty instead of hungry, throwing away the tempting food, inviting a friend over, etc.
1.
2.
3.
4.
SELF SOOTHING AND COMFORTING STRATEGIES Instead of using to food to calm or feel better, what are other ways that you can soothe your soul with? Examples could include a warm and fragrant bath, deep breathing, yoga, peaceful music, or going to the park to watch the trees and feel the wind.
1.
2.
3.
4.
EMOTIONAL NEEDS Find alternative ways to first identify and then cope with the underlying emotion you might be feeling. Talk to a friend or counselor, journal, begin to sit with the emotion, are just a few ways of dealing with an emotion instead of eating to suppress it.
1.
2.
3.
4.
After your list is completed, keep it in a place where you can easily get to it when needed (i.e. purse, refrigerator, etc.). Revise or update your list as needed.
B. PHONE LIST It is also important to reach out during times of crisis. During moments of urgency we often feel scared, alone, and out of control. Reaching out to someone during this time can help to relieve some of the distress that you may be having. It might also help to prevent a slip or set-back. Talking to someone about your feelings can remind you that others care for you and that you are not alone. Below write down names and numbers of compassionate, understanding people you can reach out to. While it may initially be difficult to "reach out and touch someone," it will gradually become easier. The person that you call will be glad that you trusted them enough to lean on them during a tough time.
NAME PHONE NUMBER
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
C. PERSONAL MANTRA
Develop a short one or two line statement that is meaningful to you. Take some time with this one and find powerful quote or meaningful statement that resonates within you. Something that brings you back to the larger picture, perhaps reminds you of where you wanted to go with your goal. When crisis occurs, look up your statement and begin repeating those words to your self.
Examples:
* I have the strength to stand strong for everything I believe in.
* I have the ability to change anything in my life that I choose to change.
* I take complete responsibility for my life.
* Everyday in every way I am growing more and more confident.
______________________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________
Beg in developing your own personalized strategy now. Don't worry if it's not perfect or if you're not sure if the ideas you write down will work. It's an ongoing plan that you will revise, and continue to fine tune. No one strategy works in every situation. Take a look at your past successes and begin to note what occasionally worked. Notice also what did not work.
Copyright 2005, Dr. Annette Colby, all rights reserved.
Dr. Annette Colby, RD
Nutrition Therapist & Master Energy Healer
"Opening Creative Portals to Success"
972.985.8750
annette@annettecolby.com
For free inspirational newsletter, articles & info visit: annette@annettecolby.com
Digestion is a chemical process. Our body combines different types... Read More
Weight loss specialists will tell you that attitude has a... Read More
How much will power does it take in order to... Read More
For about 50 years now, Americans have been eating low... Read More
It can be intimidating to follow a weight loss plan,... Read More
Quick weight loss is promised by diets all the time.... Read More
If you've been pursuing a lighter, healthier version of yourself,... Read More
When Instant Results Take TimeYesterday I decided to "get back... Read More
Dieting is not easy. If it were, we would probably... Read More
How to Estimate How Many Calories You Can Have and... Read More
There is no question that having a massage makes you... Read More
When most people begin a Weight Loss program or diet... Read More
When we discover that we are heavier than we want... Read More
According to the BMI chart, if you are overweight, you... Read More
You see it all the time; people agonizing over their... Read More
Hannah was distressed that, with all the inner work she... Read More
Did you say there's a way I can eat what... Read More
Do you know someone that is obsessed with the scale?... Read More
When I decided to lose weight I of course decided... Read More
Have you ever wished for a diet where you ate... Read More
We have missed the boat and your boat is sinking... Read More
Looking to avoid the dieting mistakes many of our weight... Read More
Finding the clinic that performs liposuctions in Newport Beach is... Read More
Axiom Number Two: Hunger ControlTrying to lose weight without understanding... Read More
I just read this conventional diet tip ? and we've... Read More
When you have started a diet in the past, how... Read More
Looking to lose some pounds quickly? Fast and safe weight... Read More
New gastric bypass patients say they miss food, they grieve... Read More
Nowadays, so much of the public is obese (fat) that... Read More
Let's face facts; obesity is ripe today in America and... Read More
To say that Americans are obsessed with dieting is an... Read More
In this age being ignorant is like committing a crime.... Read More
With the rise of obesity and the increasing incidence of... Read More
(Ailsa's Apple Crumble Diet)I'm Scottish, so it's not a big... Read More
To really understand the impact of a protein diet, it's... Read More
It is important that the public not only understand the... Read More
Drink plenty of water. Our body needs a lot of... Read More
According to a recent survey by the National Health Institute,... Read More
Getting to the ROOT of the matter: If the plants... Read More
"Hey, you have reduced now, compared to the last time... Read More
I do not smoke, never have, and admit to being... Read More
What do you think of the hundreds of weight loss... Read More
Sharing our bariatric stories is as personal decision as electing... Read More
There is only one way to lose weightThere really is... Read More
I am so proud of you and your accomplishments. You're... Read More
Gastric bypass surgery involves stapling the stomach to make it... Read More
Do you want to lose weight? Of course you do,... Read More
Did you know that how and when you eat is... Read More
Cellulite is a recent addition to the English language. In... Read More
In this series of articles, you will learn exactly how... Read More
Weight Loss |