Food and control issues

MeredithDeVoe1

I had an insight a couple of years ago that changed my life... eventually. Psychologists are familiar with the things people do in order to maintain a sense that we are in control of our life. Now, most things are NOT in our control, but we CAN control our own choices.

What I realized was that while so many things felt out-of-control in my life, when I was eating food, I felt that I was in control of my universe for a few minutes. And it was hard to relinquish that. Which was why I was overeating. (And putting on weight, and feeling out-of-control as a result!)

It was some time later that I was thinking this over and it occurred to me that if I am in control while I am eating, I can also control WHAT and HOW MUCH I eat.

Duh!!

After I put this final piece together, I began to choose differently. When I felt compelled to overeat, I told myself that I do not have to be in control of my world, I do not have to be God; that job is taken, thankfully. And that food was a crummy substitute for the empowerment that comes from making good choices and sticking with them until they work.

I offer this because I think a lot of us have complicated reasons for overeating (as well as other overindulgences that affect our lives negatively). Can you relate?

alc649

Yes! I have to do a lot of praying when I'm eating, before,during,after..it's easy for me to overindulge when i'm not hungry anymore. I try and give it to God, because I can't do it by myself. Funny thing is, I have more "self-control" when I do it this way. I still fail at times, but it's getting better. I had a strong urge to binge eat yesterday, but instead of giving in I prayed, and wrote down how I feel after a binge vs how I feel when I resist. It helped. I didn't binge

MeredithDeVoe1

@alc649, what a great way to redirect your attention away from the eating! Journaling is such an amazing thing.

alc649

It really is, helps out a lot