Decades of research into the psychology of eating behaviors have shown us that the more we attempt to rigidly control our eating the more likely we are to lose that control when faced with unpleasant thoughts and feelings, especially when these feelings arise due to perceived “diet failure.”
Why would eating a spoonful of ice cream drive you to eat the whole pint followed by the false promise to do better on Monday? It’s a defense mechanism.
By eating more and focusing on the food you are momentarily escaping the negative self-talk, judgment, and guilt you feel when being unable to stick to your plan and long term goals.
But what if instead of beating yourself up, you met yourself with kindness and compassion? What if you gave yourself permission to eat it? Would that spoonful still turn into a pint?
Join co-coach, Eileen Trujillo, and me for this week’s episode of the Fat Murder Podcast where we’ll be discussing how to navigate instances of overeating BEFORE they happen. That’s right, this week we’re talking about developing the psychological tools to help you prevent instances of overeating, but when it does happen — it’s no longer an opportunity to bully and berate yourself.
What it means to be mindful and the value in acknowledging your feelings instead of trying to ignore or stuff them down with food
Why being curious and compassionate with yourself helps reduce instances of overeating
Thought scripts you can begin practicing NOW so you’re prepared for that holiday eating event later
What about you? How long have you been trying to force your body into a smaller version of itself? What do you say to yourself when you have an instance of overeating? Do you commit to a new diet tomorrow or excuse your behavior with a little white lie, “Oh, it’s just a bite”?
If forcing your body into a smaller version of itself through dieting worked, don’t you think it would have worked by now? It’s time to try something different. Something that actually works.
