Guest guest Posted December 21, 2009 Report Share Posted December 21, 2009 Hi Sue, I loved reading your post. You sound like someone who's come a very, very long way! I'll be thinking of these ideas over the holidays. Laurie To: IntuitiveEating_Support Sent: Mon, December 21, 2009 10:59:19 AMSubject: Re: Backsliding... Hi Mckella:I also overate to the point of discomfort several times this month during special holiday dinners and even at 'regular dinners' when I wanted to 'taste' Christmas cookies for dessert after eating a satisfying meal. I've come a long ways from where I was 5 years ago. However, I recently continued to eat after a satisfying lunch and thought, "WOW! This could escalate to a binge." Fortunately I let let myself eat exactly what I wanted and soon ate exactly what satisfied me. Rather than feel 'stuffed', I felt good and stopped eating. However, I later realized the episode began after a very stressful situation. So I knew that I had wanted emotional comfort from certain foods. What kept me from relapsing into full scale binges during all those little backsliding slips was staying aware of my self-talk. Like you, I'm not overweight. However, I don't have a perfect hourglass figure. My waist is too big in proportion to my smaller hips and bust. So I can easily see 'muffin top' hanging over some too snug jean waists. I also experience regular belly bloat related to food allergies and intestinal infections. I could easily slip into a 'I overate and now I'm fat and ugly' mindset unless I constantly monitor my self-talk and challenge irrational thoughts like: "I overate. Now I can't wear my favorite clothes" or "My stomach is too big. I must have gained 5 pounds today" or even "I'm back to bingeing. I'm out of control. I can't eat my favorite foods without overeating."Rather than letting those irrational thoughts dictate my actions after overeating, I ask myself "Who says one overeating episode means I can't wear my clothes or I gained 5 pounds? Has that ever happened?" Even if I gained 2 pounds in a day, I still can wear most of my clothes. Then I remind myself that my body naturally wants less food after a day or 2 of overeating. I don't need to restrict what or how much I eat. I'm just not as hungry or just don't need as much food in the days following overeating situations. I stopped bingeing 9 months ago, because I refused to let myself compensate after overeating. I refused to restrict myself, exercise more or even weigh myself to motivate myself to eat less. Mostly I refused to condemn myself with my self-talk. I decided that I would do anything to eliminate binges. During those 9 months I often overate to the point of discomfort. Eventually I learned that I preferred to feel comfortable after a meal and stopped sooner. I sometimes ate between meals when I wasn't hungry. Eventually I learned that I would enjoy food more at meals or snacks, if I waited until I was hungry to eat. Nevertheless, no matter what else I did, I focussed on not bingeing. Above all, I listened to and challenged my self-talk about eating and my body. So I suggest that you challenge your self-talk after an overeating incident. Rather than remind yourself of everything you don't like about your body, consider what decisions you made that led to overeating. Perhaps you don't often eat the food that you overate. So you had a 'last supper' incident. Perhaps you just enjoyed the social situation and overlooked your stomach fullness sensations. Rather than condemn yourself, objectively, nonjudgmentally consider what you will do in similar future social situations. Then let go of that overeating situation and focus on enjoying comfortable (just enough) meals today, tomorrow ... Learn from the past and then let go so that you can enjoy the present.SUE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 21, 2009 Report Share Posted December 21, 2009 Thank you Sue. Very helpful for me. My husband is on a long business trip – he’ll be back on Christmas eve. With two kids at home, shopping, preparations, work, … my stress level is high. I see that I have been relying on chocolate, which I normally would have restricted. In fact, I wanted and ate chocolate chip cookies at breakfast today. But, I am not feeling bad about it. I was hungry – I ate what I needed. Am I following IE perfectly, no. But so far, body/food issues are not adding to my stress level! Amie (not to be confused with ARNIE ) > However, I recently continued to eat after a satisfying lunch and thought, … However, I later realized the episode began after a very stressful situation. So I knew that I had wanted emotional comfort from certain foods. > I ask myself " Who says one overeating episode means I can't wear my clothes or I gained 5 pounds? Has that ever happened? " Even if I gained 2 pounds in a day, I still can wear most of my clothes. Then I remind myself that my body naturally wants less food after a day or 2 of overeating. I don't need to restrict what or how much I eat. > enjoy food more at meals or snacks, if I waited until I was hungry to eat. I listened to and challenged my self-talk about eating and my body. > So you had a 'last supper' incident... Learn from the past and then let go so that you can enjoy the present. SUE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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