No Food Addiction Triggers on Thanksgiving Day

Nov25

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day, so I thought I’d serve up a little food for thought today in preparation for tomorrow’s feast.

Hopefully all feelings will be joyful and kind whether you’re enjoying the day with friends and family, or curled up with a good book or movie.

So no thoughts about food addiction for one whole day. Enjoy everything the day brings and every morsel of food you put in your mouth.  Remember, we always have something to be thankful for.

I wish I knew who wrote this list of thankful things, but the e-mail I received it in didn’t mention the author. If you know who penned it, perhaps you could let me know so I can credit the author.

I Am Thankful!

For the wife
who says it’s hot dogs tonight,
because she is home with me,
and not out with someone else.

For the husband
who is on the sofa
being a couch potato,
because he is home with me
and not out at the bars.

For the teenager
who is complaining about doing dishes
because it means she is at home, not on the streets.

For the taxes I pay
because it means I am employed.

For the mess to clean after a party
because it means I have been surrounded by friends.

For the clothes that fit a little too snug
because it means I have enough to eat.

For my shadow that watches me work
because it means I am out in the sunshine

For a lawn that needs mowing,
windows that need cleaning,
and gutters that need fixing
because it means I have a home.

For all the complaining
I hear about the government
because it means we have freedom of speech.

For the parking spot
I find at the far end of the parking lot
because it means I am capable of walking
and I have been blessed with transportation.

For my huge heating bill
because it means I am warm.

For the lady behind me in church
who sings off key because it means
I can hear.

For the pile of laundry and ironing
because it means I have clothes to wear.

For weariness and aching muscles at the end of the day
because it means I have been capable of working hard.

For the alarm that goes off
in the early morning hours
because it means I am alive.

And finally, for too much e-mail
because it means I have friends who are thinking of me.

Live well, laugh often, & love with all of your heart!

Happy Thanksgiving Day!

Food Addiction is Painful

Nov24

I read a quote tonight that caught my eye. Unfortunately, the author was unknown so I can’t give credit where credit is due.

This is the quote: “Pain is inevitable: suffering is optional.” What a great statement. While pain can be physical or emotional, suffering is always emotional.

By using food to stuff down our feelings, we choose suffering. Food addiction and emotional eating each create their own kind of pain. Self-rejection and shame jumpstart the suffering.

Acceptance and forgiveness do wonders to short-circuit a food addiction.  Since that dynamic duo sometimes doesn’t come from family and friends, it’s up to you to make them work for you.

Rescue yourself from a triggering event by accepting the situation in the moment, embracing it, and then letting it go.  Then forgive yourself for thinking that you have to be perfect to be worthy of acceptance. You’re worthy just the way you are.

Acceptance will help you deal with the pain. Forgiveness will teach you how to end the suffering.

Finding the Right Therapist to Help You With Your Food Addiction

Nov23

Food addiction is usually tied to some deeply rooted emotional trauma. I say usually only to give the benefit of the doubt.  Personally, I’ve never seen a case that wasn’t.

In my own experience, I have found that a psychotherapist can be a great resource.  When you are ready to delve into that dark place and retrieve the faceless memory that is sabotaging your abundance, talking with a professional can be very helpful.

The new moniker is “talk therapist”  which I suppose does sound better then “psychotherapist”.  But don’t let the generic term fool you. There is nothing small about talking your feelings out.

I prefer a psychologist, a Ph.D. because of their educational background, but a licensed mental health counselor can do a good job too, and at a more economical rate. It can be a tough decision, but the key is finding someone with whom you feel comfortable.

Here are three things to consider:

1. Education and Background:  Where did they go to school? How long have they been practicing? What is their specialty? Do they have experience working with people with food addictions?

2. Location: Is the office close, comfortable and convenient? This is important because you will be spending time there unraveling and and reweaving parts of your life, which may be painful.

3. Do they instill a sense of trust? This is the most important consideration of all. If you are to discover or uncover the hidden feelings behind your food addiction, trust must be the basis of the relationship.

That said, go at your own pace. You’ll have to take some risks. You didn’t contract your food addiction overnight and it won’t go away overnight. And that’s okay.

Risks are a part of life. Just seeking a solution for a food addiction or an emotional problem that has led to a weight problem, is a big risk. Good on you for taking it.