Re: Am I enough?

[Guest guest]

Thanks for your insight.  I have

thought for awhile now that I eat beyond full in order to fill the “God

shaped hole” that we all have, with some thing other than God.  Often it’s

easier for me to eat rather than do the thing that would be better for me.  Old

habits (lifelong) die hard! 

Helen Young

From: Day

Sent: Tuesday, September 26, 2006

10:12 AM

To:

intuitiveeating_support

Subject:

Am I enough?

I posted this on the dietsurvivors group this weekend and thought it

might have some value here as well.

~~~~~

G'Morning All,

I had a lengthy conversation with my brother yesterday about my

sister-in-law. My sis-in-law is wonderful person but she can be very

controlling. She’s not pushy in telling people what to do but

she’s very controlling about anything and everything related to her and

her relationships. She’s also quite private which I think is another

way to control her environment. My sis-in-law lost both of her parents to

cancer within a year’s time. She’s 28 years old and

essentially was an only child. We are her only family and we love her

very much.

I told my brother how I believe that her need to control the world

around has a direct relationship with her ability to handle life – to be

able to handle whatever might go wrong. She’s been this way since

before her parents passed away. I recognized that need to control the

world around you. I used to be that way – but have since been able

to let go of things I can’t control or that are not worth trying to

control... but on another level maybe I've been using food as a way to handle

life... but in a different way than I've considered before.

Fast forward to this morning in church -- I went to church early to sit

alone quietly and meditate. I asked God to touch my heart and to help me

find my way on this journey to heal my relationship with food. I’ve been

struggling with my compulsive overeating and trying to make sense of it.

As the service started I

realized how much my compulsive eating was about having

“enough”. Am I enough? Am I enough to handle

life? To handle loneliness? To handle the responsibilities I’ve

taken on? To be a wife? To be a mother? To be a loving daughter and

sister? Am I enough to be all that I want to be in this life??

God was speaking to

me. For a while I’ve wondered what drives me to continually fill up

my glass when it drops just an inch too low or to add an extra pat of butter or

slice of cheese… Somehow I think I feel less than enough and

all of the extra food is an attempt to make me enough… to give me what I

don’t have… to fill me up to “enough”.

This may be a different

spin on an old reason for compulsive eating but it is a profound realization

for me – an answer to my prayers. If I believed I were enough to

handle things… to handle life… would I go back for another bite of

this, a snack of that, an extra scoop of that, etc?

I know that this is just

one layer of my drive to eat compulsively and overeat… but for me it

makes sense -- an answer that I had to find for myself.

 

Talk is cheap. Use Yahoo! Messenger to make PC-to-Phone calls. Great

rates starting at 1¢/min.

[Guest guest]

Congrats on your insights, . )

Jenn

<><

Am I enough?

I posted this on the dietsurvivors group this weekend and thought it might have some value here as well.~~~~~G'Morning All,

I had a lengthy conversation with my brother yesterday about my sister-in-law. My sis-in-law is wonderful person but she can be very controlling. Shes not pushy in telling people what to do but shes very controlling about anything and everything related to her and her relationships. Shes also quite private which I think is another way to control her environment. My sis-in-law lost both of her parents to cancer within a years time. Shes 28 years old and essentially was an only child. We are her only family and we love her very much.

I told my brother how I believe that her need to control the world around has a direct relationship with her ability to handle life to be able to handle whatever might go wrong. Shes been this way since before her parents passed away. I recognized that need to control the world around you. I used to be that way but have since been able to let go of things I cant control or that are not worth trying to control... but on another level maybe I've been using food as a way to handle life... but in a different way than I've considered before.

Fast forward to this morning in church -- I went to church early to sit alone quietly and meditate. I asked God to touch my heart and to help me find my way on this journey to heal my relationship with food. Ive been struggling with my compulsive overeating and trying to make sense of it.

As the service started I realized how much my compulsive eating was about having enough. Am I enough? Am I enough to handle life? To handle loneliness? To handle the responsibilities Ive taken on? To be a wife? To be a mother? To be a loving daughter and sister? Am I enough to be all that I want to be in this life??

God was speaking to me. For a while Ive wondered what drives me to continually fill up my glass when it drops just an inch too low or to add an extra pat of butter or slice of cheese Somehow I think I feel less than enough and all of the extra food is an attempt to make me enough to give me what I dont have to fill me up to enough.

This may be a different spin on an old reason for compulsive eating but it is a profound realization for me an answer to my prayers. If I believed I were enough to handle things to handle life would I go back for another bite of this, a snack of that, an extra scoop of that, etc?

I know that this is just one layer of my drive to eat compulsively and overeat but for me it makes sense -- an answer that I had to find for myself.

Talk is cheap. Use Yahoo! Messenger to make PC-to-Phone calls. Great rates starting at 1¢/min.

Books Read: http://mizbooksreads.blogspot.com

Faith Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/unshakablefocus

Healthy Eating: http://intuitive-eating.blogspot.com

Wishlist: http://www.librarything.com/catalog/mizbooks94

[Guest guest]

I think a lot of us do that, Helen (try to fill the " God-shaped " hole with

something else). :-? I know I certainly have. But, thanks to IE (and the

Christian version, Thin Within), I'm learning how to eat according to how God

made me to eat. )

http://www.thinwithin.org

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Thin_Within_Support

Jenn

<><

-----Original Message-----

>Thanks for your insight. I have thought for awhile now that I eat

>beyond full in order to fill the “God shaped hole” that we all have, with

>some thing other than God. Often it’s easier for me to eat rather than do

>the thing that would be better for me. Old habits (lifelong) die hard!

Books Read: http://mizbooksreads.blogspot.com

Faith Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/unshakablefocus

Healthy Eating: http://intuitive-eating.blogspot.com

Wishlist: http://www.librarything.com/catalog/mizbooks94

[Guest guest]

Jenn,

Can you tell me more about Thin Within? I have never heard of it before. I've seen a few of you mention it but don't know anything about it. Did you just read the book or do you do the program on-line? I'm very interested in the program.

Thanks!

RE: Am I enough?

I think a lot of us do that, Helen (try to fill the "God-shaped" hole with something else). :-? I know I certainly have. But, thanks to IE (and the Christian version, Thin Within), I'm learning how to eat according to how God made me to eat. )http://www.thinwith in.orghttp://groups. yahoo.com/ group/Thin_ Within_SupportJenn<><-----Original Message----->Thanks for your insight. I have thought for awhile now that I eat>beyond full in order to fill the God shaped hole that we all have, with>some thing other than God. Often its easier for me to eat rather than do>the thing that would be better for me. Old habits (lifelong) die hard! Books Read: http://mizbooksread s.blogspot. comFaith Group: http://groups. yahoo.com/ group/unshakable focusHealthy Eating: http://intuitive- eating.blogspot. comWishlist: http://www.libraryt hing.com/ catalog/mizbooks 94

[Guest guest]

Sure, !

Thin Within is like a Christian version of Intuitive Eating. It has the same

basic principles ... eat only when you're hungry, stop eating when you're

satisfied... but it focuses on leaning on God for help in the journey. It deals

with working on the underlying issues, applying God's grace instead of the usual

" club of condemnation " that we like to beat ourselves with when we slip up while

relearning how to eat.

I read Gwen Shamblin's " Weigh Down Diet " book first, and felt really condemned.

Then I discovered " Thin Within " . Thin Within is grace-based, and much more

freeing, IMHO. You can learn more on their website: http://www.thinwithin.org

There is a support group online, and the ladies there are really supportive &

encouraging: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Thin_Within_Support

I didn't sign up for the online studies at the TW website because I couldn't

afford it. But, if you sign up for their weekly newsletter, you get one week of

the online studies for free. And, there are a lot of free articles for you to

read on their site, too.

I really enjoy the weekly newsletters. )

The book can be found on Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/cg8zg (I think this is the

Canadian Amazon that I linked, too, though -- I'm Canadian). )

Hope that helps! Feel free to ask whatever you wish... I'll try to help! )

Jenn

<><

My TW journey: http://thinwithin4life.blogspot.com

My IE blog: http://intuitive-eating.blogspot.com

-----Original Message-----

>Can you tell me more about Thin Within? I have never heard of it before. I've

seen a few of you mention it but don't know anything about it. Did you just

read the book or do you do the program on-line? I'm very interested in the

program.

>

>Thanks!

>

[Guest guest]

Hey Jenn,

Thanks for the info. I will definitely get the book. On the website there are different plans that you pay for. I wonder if the stuff you can download for $54.95 is the same as the book? I'm wondering if it is worth investing in the on-line 12-week program.

Thanks,

Re: Am I enough?

Sure, !Thin Within is like a Christian version of Intuitive Eating. It has the same basic principles ... eat only when you're hungry, stop eating when you're satisfied... but it focuses on leaning on God for help in the journey. It deals with working on the underlying issues, applying God's grace instead of the usual "club of condemnation" that we like to beat ourselves with when we slip up while relearning how to eat.I read Gwen Shamblin's "Weigh Down Diet" book first, and felt really condemned. Then I discovered "Thin Within". Thin Within is grace-based, and much more freeing, IMHO. You can learn more on their website: http://www.thinwith in.orgThere is a support group online, and the ladies there are really supportive & encouraging: http://groups. yahoo.com/

group/Thin_ Within_SupportI didn't sign up for the online studies at the TW website because I couldn't afford it. But, if you sign up for their weekly newsletter, you get one week of the online studies for free. And, there are a lot of free articles for you to read on their site, too.I really enjoy the weekly newsletters. )The book can be found on Amazon: http://tinyurl. com/cg8zg (I think this is the Canadian Amazon that I linked, too, though -- I'm Canadian). )Hope that helps! Feel free to ask whatever you wish... I'll try to help! )Jenn<><My TW journey: http://thinwithin4l ife.blogspot. comMy IE blog: http://intuitive- eating.blogspot.

com-----Original Message----->Can you tell me more about Thin Within? I have never heard of it before. I've seen a few of you mention it but don't know anything about it. Did you just read the book or do you do the program on-line? I'm very interested in the program.>>Thanks!>

[Guest guest]

As far as I know, it's not the same as the book. Some of the ladies in the TW support group (online) have done the studies, and it goes more into like a Bible study format. The book is very Bible-based, but I wouldn't say they're the same (I know this from doing the one-week study that I got free with the e-newsletter sign-up). )I think that, if you really want to delve deeply into the spiritual side of things, the 12-week lessons might be worth it. But, otherwise, maybe just read the book first, and see what you think. If you feel you need more after reading the book, you could do the lessons then... Just a thought.

Jenn

<><

-----Original Message-----

Thanks for the info. I will definitely get the book. On the website there are different plans that you pay for. I wonder if the stuff you can download for $54.95 is the same as the book? I'm wondering if it is worth investing in the on-line 12-week program.

Thanks,

Books Read: http://mizbooksreads.blogspot.com

Faith Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/unshakablefocus

Healthy Eating: http://intuitive-eating.blogspot.com

Wishlist: http://www.librarything.com/catalog/mizbooks94

[Guest guest]

Jenn,

That's great advice. I think I'll do that. Read the book first - then see if I need more.

Thanks so much,

Re: Am I enough?

As far as I know, it's not the same as the book. Some of the ladies in the TW support group (online) have done the studies, and it goes more into like a Bible study format. The book is very Bible-based, but I wouldn't say they're the same (I know this from doing the one-week study that I got free with the e-newsletter sign-up). )I think that, if you really want to delve deeply into the spiritual side of things, the 12-week lessons might be worth it. But, otherwise, maybe just read the book first, and see what you think. If you feel you need more after reading the book, you could do the lessons then... Just a thought.

Jenn

<><

-----Original Message-----

Thanks for the info. I will definitely get the book. On the website there are different plans that you pay for. I wonder if the stuff you can download for $54.95 is the same as the book? I'm wondering if it is worth investing in the on-line 12-week program.

Thanks,

Books Read: http://mizbooksread s.blogspot. com

Faith Group: http://groups. yahoo.com/ group/unshakable focus

Healthy Eating: http://intuitive- eating.blogspot. com

Wishlist: http://www.libraryt hing.com/ catalog/mizbooks 94