Investigate what triggers you to overeat. Journal-write about your emotional, situational and vacation triggers.
Pearl One
When I was losing the fifty-five pounds and today preserving the original loss, it became obvious that even when I was grooving right along eating all the smart food, I’d eventually hit a road bump. I’d have a bite of this or that and be triggered into the abyss. For me it was anything cracker or chips (love half a box Cheeze Its). I don’t think I’ve had anything crackerish for at least the last fifteen years.
And I’m here to report that there were many times when I was on the downhill path to chowing the food-porn. I learned that I needed to investigate why, when and how I fell off the Smart Eating Path. I needed to go deeper into what was undermining my life’s dream and plan.
What became clear is that along with trigger-food, I also had trigger-emotions, trigger-times of day and trigger-days of the week. Others can be triggered by a holiday. And many are triggered by the end of a fabulous trip. I could see what triggered me:
- Being tired and/or hungry.
- Feeling lonely (in a house full of people).
- Getting seriously bored.
- Being scared of a transition like a move or an empty-nest.
Overeating or “going off” my eating plan came down to me getting triggered by being somewhat hungry. I figured out that I only needed food-food, but I was so out of touch with my stomach that I thought I actually wanted junk food. I was wrong. I learned through trial and error that I didn’t need to eat a sleeve of thin mints. What I needed was apple slices dipped into peanut butter.
Our triggers don’t get the final say, we do. Trust your stomach, pay close attention to your needs, and you’ll discover strength you didn’t know you had. Proceed gently with yourself; awareness is where real change begins. ♥
Pearl Two
Our journal writing pearl. Questions are based on pearl one:
- After a food free-for-all, write about what happened today (or throughout the week) that got you to this place?
- Look at your own personal calendar: what days were the most difficult leading up to overeating? And how we’re they difficult? What was your response?
- What food triggers you?
- What life-situation trigger you? What one habit are you ready to shed? And for the best book on trading a bad habit with a great one: read or reread Atomic Habits by James Clear. ♥
Pearl Three
Sequencing is taken directly from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). The purpose of sequences is to help us move from reacting to circumstances to responding. I encourage you to do a sequence a day in your journal. Powerful stuff. Apply to your own life.
Automatic Sequence
- Situation: (be very concrete): Kate’s two adult kids both asked her to move closer to them so she can help with the grandkids. Kate has lived in a town by the ocean for eight years.
- Knee-jerk thought: OMG, now what am I going to do. I love it here. But of course, I love my grandkids.
- Feeling: panicked and trapped like there’s no way out of this problem.
- Action: stalks around her home. Calls a friend “to vent.”
- Result: After a lot of back and forthing, Kate calls her two kids and agrees to move to her daughter’s town, but with plans to visit her son more often.
Chosen Sequence
- Situation: (be very concrete): Kate’s two adult kids both asked her to move closer to them so she can help with the grand kids. Kate has lived in a town by the ocean for eight years.
- Chosen thought: How wonderful both young families want me around.
- Feeling: warm, happy.
- Action: Kate puts together a plan based on her own needs.
- Result: She tells kids what she can and cannot do, but whatever happened she’d keep her home near the ocean. ♥
Pearl Four
Pearl four is an amazing book recommendation; not a review, just an awesome book I want to share
In pearl four I’m suggesting an amazing book recommendation to substitute in for a regular dessert. I’m not writing a specific review, just an awesome book I want to share.
I had a hard time finding a great book-dessert — either super absorbing or crazy-inspirational — so I’m suggesting two phenomenal books from last year.
Last year I featured Life After Life by Kate Atkinson a beyond awesome book. A quick rewind: We meet Ursula first as a baby. We watch her go through many lives before she completes a satisfying experience for her final life. I highly, highly recommend Life After Life. A God in Ruins is Kate’s sequel to Life After Life about her little brother – although each book is stand-alone — and is equally as good.
The New Yorker wrote, “This follow [to Life After Life] tracks Ursula’s brother, Teddy, a favorite son who flies an RAF bomber during the Second World War and remains kind, thoughtful, and patient through a life of quiet sadness. Teddy, unlike his sister, lives only one life, but Atkinson’s deft handling of time, as she jumps from boyhood to old age and back, is impressive.” Haven’t finished, am loving. I leave it by my bed and I only read when I’m escaping the kitchen.” ♥
Total book-desserts!
Pearl Five
“Be willing to be a beginner every single morning.” —Meister Eckhart ♥
If you haven’t yet read Atomic Habits by James Clear, you’ll thank yourself later. The audio is supposed excellent too.
iI you enjoyed this post, please send to a friend. (And thank you.)
♥, Wendy
You know the scoop: I’m an Amazon affiliate. If you buy from a link in my post, I’ll receive money, but the arrangement won’t cost you a dime.
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I am not an expert, doctor, surgeon, nurse, dietician, or nutritionist: the information within TheInspiredEater.com is based solely on my personal experience and is not intended to be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
