Hi all,

I'm working now on curbing my binge eating habit and I came across something quite unexpected that I'm finding is helping me.

I was watching the documentary Food Matters, which is mostly about the food industry and the way it makes us addicted to bad foods. While the documentary itself wasn't to my taste (they really push the detox/juicing/green smoothies thing), one of the experts there made a comment that struck me. He talked about how people immediately think of diets in terms of restriction and deprivation and how they carry the message, "I want that, but I can't have it." (I know I do). He then suggested changing the message around to "I can have that but I don't want it." That then puts the choice in your hands and empowers you to decide to make better choices.

So I as I was going shopping today and facing a bunch of junk food that I love, I kept telling myself, "I can have that, but I don't want it" and it helped me. I saw that I was in control of my choices and that I was making the decision not to have that ice cream or those cookies, rather than them having control over me to say "uh uh - you can't have us."

Tam

that sounds like a good idea and ill have to try it next time I get the urge to binge. My problem is I have healthier but still delicious snacks in my house (fiber one bars + fruit snacks and low cal snacks etc) that I will still binge on :/

Self talk can really work wonders, can't it.

I'm doing something similar as I am daily aware of the very important and health based reasons to get of pounds in a healthy way.

Choices: It comes down to that, doesn't it. I'm trying to remember I'm a "big girl now and temper tantrums are childish, so I can limit what I choose."

Course I am big in both ways, ouch.

Hi Tam,
Thanks for sharing that quote--I love it! I've already written it on the cover of my food journal. I'm also working on controlling my binges, so a written food journal is my back-up plan. I use an app (myfitnesspal) to track my calories, but when I binge I tend to stop tracking, and when I stop tracking, I tend to continue eating off-plan. The written journal is a way to keep me somewhat accountable when I binge--I'll write down what I eat, but I don't bother with counting calories. So far, I've been tracking for 24 days in a row!

That is a great quote! Last night I was in the grocery store and looking at all these people buying delicious things and found myself whining to myself, "I am so jealous I wish I could eat that" then remembered I CHOSE to be on this diet and I am in control of my own decisions, and once I considered it as myself choosing not to eat those things not that I was "not allowed" then I felt much better about the whole thing!

I think having that kind of mindset can be helpful but I have personally found that it can also lead to demonizing certain foods. Often the self-talk goes I can have that, but I don't want that, because it's unhealthy/full of sugar etc'.
Just a word of warning!

Now I try to think (re sweet pastries) 'I can have that, and I want to eat it now, but it would probably spoil my appetite for dinner, maybe have one on Sunday morning (or whenever is a suitable time)'

I like the quote. When I am successful that is the mindset that I have. it puts you in the power seat instead of the victim seat. My problem is that I have noone around me in real life to participate in that. I am surrounded by overeaters. I need to expand my social circles, I think...

That is a great quote!!! I have written in my bullet journal to refer to. I really do need to "reprogram" my mind with this message!