"What Causes Compulsive Overeating?"
Discussion Points
- At some point in your life, you discovered that food did something for you (like you hit the “JACKPOT”).
- After weight loss surgery, your old brain can no longer determine what is a positive or negative jackpot (the old brain and new brain don’t communicate well).
- This is the very nature of addiction – Once that jackpot is in your brain, it is very difficult to get rid of. (There has to be something EXTREMELY compelling to change it.)
- Every time you experience something in your “Quality World” that makes you feel good, it erases the pain and negative self image momentarily.
- 90% of people fail with overcoming both food and drug additions.
- It takes a very long time for reality to set in – for you to recognize the true nature of a problem. Jessica related this to the battered wife who takes somewhere between 12 – 18 incidents to actually leave.
- Support groups work because when you take away one thing, you have to replace it with something else that is positive. Remember that you are ALWAYS going to be in recovery.
- Book – “Intuitive Eating” offers a radical perspective on weight loss.
- We have to figure out how to master our food addiction while still having to eat.
- Learn to take judgement away from food. Do not shame yourself when you slip up – this will cause more harm than good.
- Allow yourself permission to enjoy some of your favorites once in a while
- WEIGHT DOES NOT EQUAL WORTH
Why do we naturally tend to gravitate toward sugar and carbs?
- Your body is constantly trying to be in a state of homeostasis. Higher amounts of sugar and carbs are naturally the way your body gets there. This is a type of built-in survival mechanism.
- Sugar and carbs are NOT terrible for you in small amounts.
Plateaus
- These are normal, and a very necessary part of the weight loss process.
- Sometimes your body just needs to sit and take a break for a while!
Something to Think About…
- Define what it meant to be the fat girl.
- Define what “thin” is to you.
- Do you want to be defined by your weight?
- Figure out how you want to be defined as a person, and allow it to happen.
At some point, you are going to have to become "at peace" with food.
- The easiest way to change a behavior is to change the stimulus. (Find something to relieve the stress.)
o Physiology
o Thoughts
o Feelings
o Actions - Most cravings only last 3 – 5 minutes. Choose something simple to distract your attention for those few minutes, until the craving subsides.
- If you can change the action, you can change the behavior.
- Learn how to get out of your mind and into your body (distract the thought by physically doing something).
Why people are resistant to change…
Change Cycle
The biggest predictor for failure is the feeling of hopelessness. Be very cautious that you never allow yourself to get there.
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