Here’s my journaling assignment for those listening to our May 23rd show. Please send in any of your questions to me [email protected] and I’ll address them for you
1) Identify the nature of your problem with food. Decide what category you fit into and answer the questions relevant to that category:
a) Are you a Normal Eater who just has body image and self-esteem issues but fundamentally your relationship with food itself is fine? If so, then you need to get therapy or coaching on your negative self-talk and limiting beliefs and address those psychologically.
b) Are you a Dysfunctional Eater? Is your overeating or under-eating driven by your circumstances, feelings, stress levels or bad habits? Are you triggered to eat by these circumstances and experiences but when they resolve themselves, your urge to eat dysfunctionally passes? Reflect and discuss whether food is masking issues with:- Your family, job, finances?
– Grief, loneliness, anger?
– Is food your surrogate mother, lover, family? Is it your source of love?
Analyse your circumstances and explore your feelings. After thorough inquiry, work out whether you need an eating plan, an exercise plan, a therapy program? Treat the dysfunction and the use of food, as a coping mechanism, will diminish.
c) Are you a Food Addict? Are you someone who has a mental obsession coupled with a physical compulsion to consume addictive foods despite negative consequences?
If so, then the only successful treatment for food addiction, I have come across is twelve step programs. In particular, Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous. But there are several others- Grey Sheet; OA; CEA. Google them. Anything based on the Twelve Step model is a step in the right direction for treating addiction. And the basic rule in twelve steps is total abstinence from your drug of choice.
2) Write a two-page story describing “A Day in Your Food Life” as a Dysfunctional Eater or Food Addict. Set out your worst behaviours and take a long hard look at them.
3) Decide what action you plan to take to address this issue. Write it down and commit to taking that action.