's MOTD 7/22/2006

[Guest guest]

's Daily Message SaturdayJuly 22, 2006REPEAT AFTER ME

I have always admitted to others and myself that I am a compulsive eater! Recently, I put some thought into why I and millions of Americans are this way. We have learned everything we know, and I mean everything, through repeating or thinking it over and over again.

When you were a baby, your mom got very close to your face and said, "Can you say Mommy? Come on; say it! Mom… my…!" After hearing the word mommy 4 million times, you finally say mommy and get her off your back!

How were you taught the alphabet? By singing that little alphabet song till you knew those letters backwards and forwards. Remember when you recited them backwards for all your classmates, and they cheered you? Do you recall how you learned to count to 100? How many times did you repeat it to yourself in the mirror? When I learned how to speak Italian, I would repeat phrases out loud till I pronounced every word perfectly.

Now remember, I said we learned everything through repetition, and when you do things repeatedly, you become compulsive in them. This holds true with compulsive eating, the process of putting the food in your mouth repeatedly.

As kids, we observe what our families do with food, and we follow suit. And with the philosophy that food is love, you see for yourself how much everyone around you enjoys every forkful of food they eat, and why shouldn`t you enjoy it, too? So my beliefs are that we are all raised to be compulsive in many areas of our life, and for most of us, that will just never change. But I have to tell you through my own personal experiences that compulsive eating behavior can be controlled. When I began to limit my hand-to-mouth movements when it comes to food, I began to eat the correct portions, and I ultimately lost my weight!

So face your compulsions by reprogramming your thoughts and remembering the goals you have made for yourself! Now repeat after me, "I can control my compulsions… I can control my compulsions… I can control my compulsions!"

Love,