[LauraLoooo]

Hey guys. I'm finishing up reading "The End of Overeating" by Dr. David Kessler. I think a lot of you have probably heard of it/read it, and if you haven't, I highly recommend it.

Anyway, I'm trying to go through Food Rehab right now following some of the advice in the book. here are some of the things I have done:

- Make a list of foods and situations I know I can't control. Example: The ice cream/dessert aisle at the grocery store.

- Making a list of rules. Example: No stealing food from others. (I live with my boyfriend and I sometimes steal the naughty food my boyfriend has bought for himself... ).

- Creating and rehearsing "if-then" statements. Example: If I go out to eat, then I will order an entree that is not layered with salt/fat and ask for a to-go box right away to split it up.

- List of things I can do besides binge. Example: Go window shopping, walk around the block, paint my nails.


I have struggled with overeating my entire life and I feel some relief from doing these things. As we all know, we are human and we will make mistakes from time to time, but I know I'm on the right path here.

Has anyone else done something like this and want to share? I'm still trying to develop some of my lists and I am looking for some ideas!

[gardenerjoy]

Great work! Those are wonderful ways to really assess what isn't working for you and make changes for the better.

I've taken your "if/then" about restaurants one step further. I made a list of the restaurants we go to frequently and planned what I'll eat every time I go to that restaurant. If it's the seafood place, than it's the Ceasar salad with grilled fish on top, dressing on the side. If it's the Japanese place, the chicken yakisoba -- but I take half of it home!

When I was trying to get myself to eat more fruits and vegetables, I made a rule I called "Eat the rainbow" where I ate at least 5 different colors of fruits and vegetables every day. It made it kind of fun and it helped me develop a habit of having lots of produce around and eating it.

You're going to like The Beck Diet Solution. You're already doing some of what Judith Beck suggests!

[LauraLoooo]

Originally Posted by gardenerjoy

Great work! Those are wonderful ways to really assess what isn't working for you and make changes for the better.

I've taken your "if/then" about restaurants one step further. I made a list of the restaurants we go to frequently and planned what I'll eat every time I go to that restaurant. If it's the seafood place, than it's the Ceasar salad with grilled fish on top, dressing on the side. If it's the Japanese place, the chicken yakisoba -- but I take half of it home!

When I was trying to get myself to eat more fruits and vegetables, I made a rule I called "Eat the rainbow" where I ate at least 5 different colors of fruits and vegetables every day. It made it kind of fun and it helped me develop a habit of having lots of produce around and eating it.

You're going to like The Beck Diet Solution. You're already doing some of what Judith Beck suggests!

Great idea with making specific rules for your favorite restaurants! I'm going to do that as well.

I also really like your "eat the rainbow" rule! I actually think I did that today which is exciting.

I guess I'll have to get The Beck Diet Solution to read next! Thanks!

[skygirl]

i read that book not too long ago. it and other books/studies of the same sort have all been very good and enlightening. i think you have a great list of things going there.

it's early days for me on this new health and wellness lifestyle and trying to kick the sugar addiction, so i don't have the answers yet, and certainly not long-term proof of anything yet. but, one thing that i am trying to do that seems to be helping is really trying to be aware of how it feels to eat all of the sugar/junk (or as kessler says sugar, fat, salt). when i eat like that it destroys my whole day (and usually much longer than that). once that stuff is in my system, it's all i can think about and want more more more. i'm not free any more and the whole day becomes about the obsession with these foods, like i'm chained to them. i'm about two and a half weeks in and my body is cravings these things a little less. my mind on the other hand still makes up elaborate plans to gather as much junk as possible and just binge. i don't think that will ever go away completely for me. but just focusing on the fact that i don't want to be beholden to these things anymore has been helping so far.

it was similar when i quit caffeine. i got so tired of having to regulate how much i had each day at particular times and getting headaches if i wasn't on track with it each day. it was irritating and so i cut down gradually and then stopped. now i have it if i want it on occassion but i am not "tied" to it.

i am hoping to be able to do something similar with sugar/junk. so, not as concrete a thing as those on your list, more conceptual, but something that may help.

good luck!

[LauraLoooo]

Originally Posted by skygirl

it's early days for me on this new health and wellness lifestyle and trying to kick the sugar addiction, so i don't have the answers yet, and certainly not long-term proof of anything yet. but, one thing that i am trying to do that seems to be helping is really trying to be aware of how it feels to eat all of the sugar/junk (or as kessler says sugar, fat, salt). when i eat like that it destroys my whole day (and usually much longer than that). once that stuff is in my system, it's all i can think about and want more more more. i'm not free any more and the whole day becomes about the obsession with these foods, like i'm chained to them. i'm about two and a half weeks in and my body is cravings these things a little less. my mind on the other hand still makes up elaborate plans to gather as much junk as possible and just binge. i don't think that will ever go away completely for me. but just focusing on the fact that i don't want to be beholden to these things anymore has been helping so far.

I agree that we'll never be done dealing with our addiction to these foods, but I'm certain it will get a little easier in time. I have been "living healthy" for over a year now but I still think about binging all the time. As I look back at this year though, I realize that I am doing so much better than in the beginning. For example, I never, ever go through fast food drive-thrus anymore and that was something I used to do maybe once a week. It's about progress, not perfection! That's what I'm trying to look at.

Good luck to you, skygirl!

[skygirl]

Originally Posted by LauraLoooo

I agree that we'll never be done dealing with our addiction to these foods, but I'm certain it will get a little easier in time. I have been "living healthy" for over a year now but I still think about binging all the time. As I look back at this year though, I realize that I am doing so much better than in the beginning. For example, I never, ever go through fast food drive-thrus anymore and that was something I used to do maybe once a week. It's about progress, not perfection! That's what I'm trying to look at.

Good luck to you, skygirl!

thanks lauraloooo!