Falling of the Wagon - DAILY

milliemu

Hi, I am new to the site and I just wondered if any of you have some advice for me regarding keeping my motivation going. I am one of those people that get up in the morning with all the willpower in the world and by lunchtime I am convincing myself that I can be happy with my figure, that it does not matter what my scales say and that I deserve to eat anything I want and as much of it as I want. I know I am only fooling myself but I find it incredibly hard in the moment to stay on a healthier eating path. I have a stone to loose and I do feel really uncomfortable like this.
Does anybody have any psychological tricks on hand? Or tips? Anything?

Thank you


Tami xxx

Ashonym

If you have Netflix or access to any movie rental sites or places, try looking for "Hungry for Change". It's a new documentary that I just watched and it changed me completely. I'm just starting back (AGAIN, admittedly) on MFP (So yeah, I've dealt with what you're talking about EXACTLY.) because of that and my true deep down desire to get better and kick the addiction.

Food is an addiction, and a strong one at that. It's NO different than an addiction to drugs, cigarettes, or alcohol. As such, our minds have been programmed by the chemicals in the food to want, desire, and NEED that food SO MUCH THAT our brains will LIE to us in order to get that sustenance and temporary relief from withdrawal symptoms.

If you can commit to not eating that way for just a little while, say no because you KNOW in your LOGICAL mind that your brain is addicted, then eventually (doesn't take long, and it will be and feel like hell, but it's worth it and necessary) the brain does calm down and stop craving bad ****.

Best tip I can give is not to have access to bad things to begin with. If you're especially susceptible, try using ALL of your food budget at the start of the month so you have no available cash and don't bring crap into the home. OR try having someone else whom you trust to hold onto your food budget and be with you when you shop (both preferably but even just keeping tabs on your money may help because then you'd have to ask that friend for money for that junk and MAYBE that'd be enough of a barrier to prevent you from doing so).

My point is, you wouldn't be here if you didn't really want this. YOU want this. YOUR BRAIN does not, because it has been programmed by the food industry to keep coming back for more of their crap. Tell your brain to bleep off and I promise after a little while it WILL stop. When you start eating healthy instead of crappy what you're doing is no different than a guy going cold turkey on cigarettes. The withdrawal symptoms are steep, but they are NOT going to last forever like your brain says.

As for tricks of the mind, I'm sorry, I don't know any. Other than to be blunt with yourself and recognize the ACTUAL, CHEMICAL, dependency/addiction going on. For me it helps to think of myself as a victim, and none of us want to be victims of anything. So I have to stop letting myself be a victim of the food industry. And I remind myself that while it will taste oh so good initially, in about two minutes from then I will feel HORRIBLE, UGLY, DEFEATED, and SHATTERED. When I see that in the future if I touch that bad food, I think twice and grab something healthy instead.

Best of luck.

nomes1979

Just wanted to say cheers for such a detailed response, I have been feeling exactly the same way, I have one good week, feel great for it, then have two bad weeks, end up angry with myself, then start over, only to follow the same cycle again and again. I will certainly remember this advice, I know myself that I feel better when being healthy, I have to stop letting emotions take over the thought process.

Thanks!!