Re: Restrict, Binge, Beat yourself Up...Repeat. {The antidote at last!}

[Guest guest]

Curtsy1girl,

I'll definitely check out the books that you recommended. A book " Eating the

Moment " that I've been reading basically says the same thing about mindfulness

and relaxation being the key to helping take care of ourselves instead of

turning to food.

I've been practicing being present and mindfulness for several years now. I've

gained so much peace and joy from being more mindful and present in my life. I

also realized that my binge/compulsive eating was about zoning/blissing out...I

get to take a break from myself and from my life to some extent during those

times. I've found that when I feel overwhelmed and then zone out and basically

abandon myself, the automatic body script seems to be to eat for comfort. One of

my main practices is to take care of myself on an on-going basis, check-in with

myself and monitor and manage my energy, so that I don't end up overwhelmed,

which compels me toward " the zone. "

The main issue that I'm working with around this is that I don't want

mindfulness to become or feel like another thing " to do. " A part of me is

resistant to becoming mindful or present to the moment...when I want to zone out

and go unconscious...almost like going to sleep...like a waking sleep. For me, I

believe the experience of being present includes " feeling " and experiencing the

moment and a part of me wants to zone out and not feel at all when I'm

overwhelmed. For me the flow of life and my body can feel really intense...not

in a good or bad way...just intense...and sometimes I want a break. Movement has

been a way besides food that I can get a break. I really appreciate you posting

about this because it's really important. I'm definitely on a journey to explore

and figure out what works best for me and it sounds like you're on a similar

journey.

Latoya

> If you are interested in finding out more about mindfulness I checked out a

book recommended by Tribole that comes with a cd that walks you through a

few mindfulness exercises... it has been like the piece I was missing all along.

(It is called the Mindful Way Through Depression by Mark ,

Teasdale, Zindel Segal adn Jon Kabat-Zinn) I just read the first few chapters

that talked specifically about mindfulness you dont have to read the depression

> specific chapters- and the cd is amazing!

>

> Cheers!

>

[Guest guest]

Excellent work and a great reference - thanks,

Katcha

IEing since March 2007

>

> So the old cycle is Restrict (Diet), Binge, Beat Yourself Up...then repeat as

needed.

>

> I had known the " antidote " so to speak for the first(dieting) and

last(attack)but just today I realized the alternative to binging.

>

>

> Well everyone here knows (at some level) the answer to restricting is

Intuitive Eating. And that rather than beating ourselves up we bloom under the

gentle offer of compassion and acceptance.

>

> Well just today I realized- partially from my experience yesterday of " turning

off " the urge to overeat by shifting my awareness to a state of curiosity and

partly from this AMAZING book I started reading (Mindful Eating by Jan Chozen

Bays) that the answer to the urge to binge or even if we have started to is to

as the author put it " sit down and be, if even for a few minutes, be wholly

present. "

>

>

> Sure that sounds like a trite platitude. Ranking right up there with , " why

don't you just not overeat? " But after my post yesterday about " Curiosity

killing the urge to binge " where I talked about two conflicting states not being

able to co-exist in our minds...it is SO WEIRD but in a book I was reading it

stated that same exact thing.. and then I was watching a video on youtube about

the scientific research on the state of happiness and the man said the SAME

> THING. (I love it when things like that happen!!)

>

> So it seems that binging is an attempt to zone out and escape which can not

exist while we are being present.

>

>

> So ...what does it mean to be present? I am new to this whole concept. But I

am finding that it is surprisingly simple... I have been just gently calling

myself (my thoughts) back to the present moment. Like a kind warm mother would

call back herself toddler when she was beyond a safe distance in the store.

>

> If you are anything like me you are initially TERRIFIED of being present...

you think that it will be all the pain you have worked so hard to avoid ONLY

MAGNIFIED! But the exact opposite turns out to be true.... it is in the present

moment which I worked so hard to avoid that the restful peace of authentic

" escape " from suffering exists (Ok I know that sounds a little out there..but it

has been delightfully true for me)

>

>

> It is weird but we binge to 'escape' and I have found that to be a counterfeit

escape...and I was so surprised when I first started playing with " mindfulness "

or being in the present moment how being in this present moment (which I GREATLY

feared previously) is actually the most delicious escape imaginable. There is a

safety and a peace in this present moment I could have never anticipated.

> There aint nothing like the real thing baby!

>

> If you are interested in finding out more about mindfulness I checked out a

book recommended by Tribole that comes with a cd that walks you through a

few mindfulness exercises... it has been like the piece I was missing all along.

(It is called the Mindful Way Through Depression by Mark ,

Teasdale, Zindel Segal adn Jon Kabat-Zinn) I just read the first few chapters

that talked specifically about mindfulness you dont have to read the depression

> specific chapters- and the cd is amazing!

>

> Cheers!

>