You know I really would like to work on being in the moment. It's amazing how I leave the land of "here and now" so frequently. Either I'm totally "in the food", eating whatever my heart/tummy desires and not really present with how big I've gotten. Or... I'm doing math calculations in my head figuring out what I'll weigh by what time ... I actually think the problem is not being in my own body in the here and now. Because in the here and now is when I make choices and when I pay attention to myself right now, I actually make good choics. Make sense?

Laura -

Sounds like meditation might be very helpful for you. Perhaps you could use a book, DVD or CD to get familiar with the type of meditation that works best for you. Or take a class. I've been meaning to try some form of meditation but time is an issue right now.

I do engage in "mindful eating" which can be considered a sort of meditation. It involves, among other things, "listening" to what your body is really hungry for and carefully paying attention to determine when you're full. This is an oversimplification, of course. Like meditation the focus is on fully doing what you're doing at that moment (eating) and not allowing yourself to stray mentally from the performance and enjoyment of that activity.

What you are saying sounds familiar to me. I have an addictive personality though. i am always addicted to something. If i dont have anything to be addicted to, i have my old stand by of food. Right now i am addicted to my health. Have you ever considered additive personality?

I know what you mean, i don't know how much of my life I spend thinking about how big I am instead of enjoying what is actually going on right now!

Stacy: What is additive personality?

Mary: I don't know much about meditation but I have a self hypnosis tape from years ago when I went to a therapist for weight loss. Would this be the same?

Norma

I think Stacy's computer had a glitch I think she means addictive personality....

Yoga and pilates have helped me a lot with getting to know my body again, and beginning to like it. It's a long hard road to rehabilitating our bodies and minds to become fit and healthy people.

Norma -

Self-hypnosis and and meditation are not the same thing.

At the risk of angering people, there is no such thing as an "addictive personality." There are addictive behaviors.

Mary, I think though that some people are much more predisposed or likely for whatever reason, to engage in addictive behaviours - that they are more likely to develop addictions than the average person.

Laura, I sure can identify with what you're saying. When I was a teenager, I thought I was colossal. I weighed about 145 lbs and was 5'8". How I wish I had enjoyed my size back then instead of wasting all that energy being down on myself for 5 or 6 pounds and being fixated on how much better I'd look at 135 or 140. I dunno if it's the human condition to never be satisfied or what but it's definitely something I need to work on.

What everyone else said!
Miss Chris

Such great insight and thoughts as always. I'm really trying to stay in the moment, it's hard but I'm making progress!

Actually, I have some thoughts... This weekend was a hard for me to stay on track. My hubbie and I took advantage of the long weekend and we went out with friends and family for several meals. I notice that when my food isn't "clean" or I'm not really on top of portions it is so easy for me to become less accountable. Then the mindfulness goes right out the window and in comes the overeating. Today, I'm really trying to be in the moment. I don't want to go off track.

I find that one of the best ways for me to eat mindfully, especially when eating out, is to SLOW DOWN. One time I was at a restaurant and looked around and noticed that The Thin People usually had their forks beside their plates, rather than in their hands, and they were focused more on the company than the food. The heavier people tended to keep their forks in hand the whole time, and they ate much faster.

When I started seriously, mindfully trying to focus more on the company and conversation than the food at a restaurant, I found that I, too, slowed down my eating. And even when my choices were not the best, the richer food tended to fill me up faster... and because I was slowing down in my eating, I was actually able to feel that I was satisfied. I ate and enjoyed what I wanted to enjoy, and stopped eating when I was done.

It is a liberating habit to practice. You don't HAVE to eat the whole plate. Enjoy a bite. Enjoy two. Then pause and enjoy the conversation. The third bite may be less interesting, or even easier to say no to.