Activity Four: Awareness - Your challenge this week
roojyrooroo
Posts: 25 Member
So activity four this week is about putting everything you have learnt from activities 1-3 into practice.
For the next week you can only eat when you are 100% sure you are physically hungry. You need to ask yourself each time before eating if you are physically hungry. If you are not 100% sure, wait before eating (or eat with the awareness that you are eating for reasons other than hunger such as emotional or practical things like eating with others or preventing later hunger).
This will mean waiting a little bit longer than you normally would to be sure that you are hungry. You need to wait for the physical sensation this week.
Note: this will feel uncomfortable as you relearn when you should eat. Don't be afraid of your hunger. What is the worst it will do to you (unless you have a relevant medical condition)? Allow yourself to feel the feeling of hunger. Experience enjoying the pleasure of eating food when hungry (it tastes so much better!).
There is a helpful checklist to ask yourself to see if it is physical hungry vs emotional from this blog post
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/163154-break-the-cycle-of-emotional-eating
1. Am I hungry? Am I experiencing any physiological conditions that are signaling to me that I am hungry?
_____ Is my stomach growling?
_____ Do I feel weak or tired?
_____ Has it been longer than three or four hours since I last ate?
If yes to above, then it's time to eat.
If not, it's time for the next question.
2. Am I depressed or anxious? Getting in touch with my emotions is critical.
_____ Am I having a bad day?
_____ Am I anxious about a work-related deadline?
_____ Is something else bothering me?
3. Is this a habit for me?
4. Did I just see or smell food? Was I hungry before that?
…..
Post Below
Check-in each day (if possible) with your experience of this activity.
For the next week you can only eat when you are 100% sure you are physically hungry. You need to ask yourself each time before eating if you are physically hungry. If you are not 100% sure, wait before eating (or eat with the awareness that you are eating for reasons other than hunger such as emotional or practical things like eating with others or preventing later hunger).
This will mean waiting a little bit longer than you normally would to be sure that you are hungry. You need to wait for the physical sensation this week.
Note: this will feel uncomfortable as you relearn when you should eat. Don't be afraid of your hunger. What is the worst it will do to you (unless you have a relevant medical condition)? Allow yourself to feel the feeling of hunger. Experience enjoying the pleasure of eating food when hungry (it tastes so much better!).
There is a helpful checklist to ask yourself to see if it is physical hungry vs emotional from this blog post
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/163154-break-the-cycle-of-emotional-eating
1. Am I hungry? Am I experiencing any physiological conditions that are signaling to me that I am hungry?
_____ Is my stomach growling?
_____ Do I feel weak or tired?
_____ Has it been longer than three or four hours since I last ate?
If yes to above, then it's time to eat.
If not, it's time for the next question.
2. Am I depressed or anxious? Getting in touch with my emotions is critical.
_____ Am I having a bad day?
_____ Am I anxious about a work-related deadline?
_____ Is something else bothering me?
3. Is this a habit for me?
4. Did I just see or smell food? Was I hungry before that?
…..
Post Below
Check-in each day (if possible) with your experience of this activity.
1
Replies
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Hi! I have one question.
I am hardy ever hungry,I eat because I am afraid to slow down my metabolism not eating for too long.Once i start,I can not stop.any advice? thanks0 -
Ok its truth time. I set up this anti-emotional eating club today, but now I need to not emotionally eat. Its 10pm and I am alone in my home, and this is when I have the habit of eating, and eating and eating.
But tonight I will not. The first time one breaks a habit it takes a lot of will power, and tonight my full will power is needed.
Eat time tonight that think about eating I will:
1. Take a deep breath and acknowledge that it is an emotional not a physical desire.
2. I remind myself that I no longer emotionally eat. I did in the past but I no longer do. I love and accept myself and don’t need food to make me feel fulfilled.
3. Repeat steps 1-2 until the feeling goes.
I imagine I will have the feeling a few times tonight, but I am ready for it.
A nail is driven out by another nail. Habit is overcome by habit.
-Desiderius Erasmus
Bad habits are easier to abandon today than tomorrow.
~Yiddish Proverb0 -
Yah! I got through the night without binging. It was hard and took will power as the empty feeling in my stomach – which is not physical hunger – is constantly in my mind. I imagine most nights will be easier than the one before it.0
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I woke up feeling so energised this morning after not bindging last night before sleeping. My body spent the night resting rather than digesting. I also woke up with a feeling on liking being present to my body, rather than ignoring it like I normally do. I think my emotional eating is linked to me wanting to ignore my body, so I try to numb it with food. This morning I went straight to a yoga class, though I has no plans to when I went to bed last night. This is having lots of good side effects.0
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Yah! I got through the night without binging. It was hard and took will power as the empty feeling in my stomach – which is not physical hunger – is constantly in my mind. I imagine most nights will be easier than the one before it.
Good for you! You did it!0 -
I started to eat and then went Oh, wait a minute, I am supposed to eat only when I'm hungry. So far I have been able to do eat only when hungry. I found it interesting that it really takes focusing on it though.0
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Tonight I was really struggling with stopping eating.
I got up and walked away. And then it was all ok. Leaving the area in which I normally eat really helped. Stopping watching TV really helped. I realised I was really full.0 -
That's great that you realized you were already full.
I went out to lunch today with a friend who is moving away. I was hungry so that was a positive. I did find myself eating the tortilla chips and salsa with very little thought about it. Just munch, munch, munch. I eventually realized what I was doing and stopped. I quit eating before I was over-full. To me that is success.0 -
I have relapsed into emotional eatting
I've gained back about 5 lbs by finishing containers of either PB, granola & last night veggie chips.
I do it when my boy friend is away and won't see me. It's worse when I know I hide it.0 -
eating of restless...fight or flight...0
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binging is disgusting and i've done it. a whole bag of chips, cookies,, just to name few...also leaving at night to get a snack...just faling into the trap of cravings...not fully being satisfied so i reach for more. sometimes its because i eat alone...I am 29 and if i can learn healthier habits then my 30's will be better but i learn to go with the flow of life...hopefully i can learn healthier habits...so i can be better. now to think of it. its not the weight gain that disturbes me it the excess of food....but hopefully i can spread out my food through small meals.0
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what i don't like about unhealthy eating is the emabarrassment0
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Hello. Today is another day. I need to be careful of my fear. Today I feel like my harrasser is chasing me... so I have to be careful not stuff my emotion with food...I ate this morning..out of hunger. working on pacing myself. Also will be talking to a food therapist on a weekly basis. Last night was not a binge eating. Although i did leave my apt at 1130pm at night to get more food...The goal is to pace my eating....in one day and over 3-5 days......Hopefully i can overcome the feeling of guilt..that comes with talking about food...BUT "no shame." If it is not dealt with it might get worse...So my daily goal is to PACE MY EATING...3-6 MEALS A DAY...0
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Eat time tonight that think about eating I will:
1. Take a deep breath and acknowledge that it is an emotional not a physical desire.
2. I remind myself that I no longer emotionally eat. I did in the past but I no longer do. I love and accept myself and don’t need food to make me feel fulfilled
3. Repeat steps 1-2 until the feeling goes.
Everytime I want to go home and eat to "comfort myself with food." I will remind myself that my job or situation is not all there is. I don't have to feel bad about my performance at work today. I DONT HAVE TO BE AFRAID OF WHAT PEOPLE WANT TO SAY OR DO TO ME. I will allow myself to walk out my day as if my situation is not bigger than the day, sun and the moon.0 -
situational avoidance with "my food or snack."0
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This is an awesome blog. I need support.0
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facing my fear or my discomfort might help distract me from my food focus.0
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