100 Days - Day 5 - Magic Notebook

Get a "magic" notebook (or blog)

"For many people, recording personal thoughts or actions each day provides a lot of insight. It also serves as an outlet for emotions and struggles around weight-loss efforts"

I think this is an easy statement to agree with. I mean most of the people who are reading this are also writing their blogs and know what a valuable tool journaling can be.

Eat it another time

"Just because you think about a food doesn't mean you have to eat it."

"When a food thought crosses your mind, remind yourself that you don't have to act on it. Instead, write down the name or even an description of the food, then anticipate the pleasure of eating it sometime in the future."

Now, I have to say that at this point in my journey I'm a lot better off just dismissing a food as soon as I think about it. I quickly turn my thoughts to other things. But this technique might help some people. What do you think? are you better off recording your food cravings and analyzing them - or just 'turning the other cheek'??

I like this next bit though

"Practice the skill of observing food cues, then letting them go. When you walk into a movie theater, notice the small of popcorn, then forget about it. If it helps, record these cues in your "magic" notebook.

Today

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Whenever you think about a particulare food you want, write it down in your notebook.

-- Sorry, already said I wasn't going to do this :) heh

Plan that you'll eat it at another time. If you wish, add the amount you'll have and how often you'll fit it into your program

-- Now this I think will be a great tool for when I hit transition, and I'm going to bookmark this part and come back to it at that time.

Stretch the times farther apart for eating this food. You may discover that after a while, certain foods don't seem as important to you as they once did.

-- Honestly, this is what I think has happened to me with the MF 'cold turkey' approach. Foods that I thought I couldn't stand to not have - have become much lower in importance to me. For the first time ever I feel as if I am in 'recovery' from my food addiction
and I LOVE being free!