A few days ago, I wrote about a book by Dr. David Kessler titled The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite.
Here he is in a YouTube video that offers us a look into the ways the food industry manipulates us. Great information for everybody, not just food addicts and emotional eaters.
You will hear experts talk about food addiction defining it in ways that usually relate to the treatment these experts provide.
The common thread in food addiction is that it is triggered by emotional stress, usually something buried deep inside. Regardless of what the experts say, unless they themselves have struggled with food addiction, trust yourself first.
In the case of women, the compulsive eating or overeating is often associated with issues of sexuality, including abuse.
This is not the only reason for the driving force behind a food addiction. Trauma of many varieties can trigger this kind of irresistible urge to stuff down feelings.
Releasing the emotions and feelings associated with the trauma is imperative if one is to overcome the addiction and return to a healthy emotional state, not threatened by food.
When evaluating the advice of an expert, consider these three things:
Just those three questions. If you feel comfortable with your answers, then you’ve chosen the right person to help you.
Trust is essential in any relationship, so make sure that when you define your food addiction, it matches the definition of the person or persons you have enlisted to help and support you.
Tonight I was listening to an interview with Sheila Kelley, an actress, author, filmmaker and dancer. Tricia Greaves with Heal Your Hunger was interviewing Sheila as part of a teleseries on Weight Loss From the Inside Out.
You may have seen Sheila pole dancing on Oprah or read her book, The S Factor: Strip Workouts for Every Woman. If not, then you’re missing out on something very special.
It isn’t often that women get to hear another woman speak so passionately and frankly about the beautiful nature of women and how it is often hidden in an effort to fit into a man’s world.
“Validate and celebrate” she says of the female body. Sheila spoke eloquently about making peace with your sexuality and embracing everything about being a woman.
Sexuality and food are very closely linked in women. Excess weight is commonly traced back to early sexual experiences and the shame that is frequently imposed on young girls by their well-meaning mothers.
The world of today’s women, especially those dealing with food addictions and emotional eating challenges, is much different from that of our mothers who gave us strict orders about the opposite sex without any explanation.
Self-judgment and shame can consume a young woman when innocence is punished with threats and confusion. Many turn to food for protection without ever knowing what they are trying to protect themselves from.
Shame is a powerful emotion and when embedded early on in the female psyche, keeps a woman from being all she can be.
Once that shame is released and the female form is “validated and celebrated” in its own right, a woman can handle being a woman without those extra pounds. No diet necessary.
If you’re in the L.A. area on November 21st, Ms. Kelley will be part of a Weight Loss from the Inside Out event in Santa Monica, presented by Heal You Hunger.
Visit www.healyourhunger.com for more details on the event and to register, and check out The Original Pole Dance Workout on Sheila’s website at www.sfactor.com.
One surefire way to sabotage your position in the battle with food addiction is to not get enough sleep. Everyone performs better when they have had a good night’s sleep.
Sleep is something most people take for granted. It is a time for the body to renew and rejuvenate after the stress of everyday living.
Emotions are high when stress builds up. Resting the body helps to return the harmony and balance that stress takes away.
Unfortunately, there is not always enough time for sleep. Sometimes the stress keeps us from feeling tired or relaxed enough to fall asleep. And that presents a problem.
Going without enough sleep night after night creates an environment of fatigue that can spell disaster for someone with a food addiction or any problem with emotional eating.
Being a confirmed insomniac, I know what it feels like to go for days without sleep. Sleep deprivation places a stress on the body that cannot be relieved with a drug or a nap.
The kind of fatigue that is caused by sleepless nights is enduring, and sometimes it takes everything you have just to get through the day.
When the body is awake for long periods it craves energy and it will take whatever source is available. If sleep isn’t on the menu, then food will do just fine.
When fatigue is added to an already stressful day, emotions undermine the best of plans. The body will do what it has to do to survive.
While fatigue may not be a trigger for a food addiction, emotional eating is another story. People who eat when they are upset or even happy may eat even more when they are exhausted.
Get a good night’s sleep. Don’t stay up long enough to get your second wind. Go to bed when you are tired, unless you’re at work, and your chances for a good night’s sleep will increase greatly.
Think about what your body wants. If it wants food, feed it. If it wants rest, then give it sleep. The more in tune we are with our bodies, the less likely we are to have food addictions and problems with emotional eating.
Good night. Sleep tight. Don’t let the bed bugs bite.