Episode Transcript
Hey, it’s Ryann from the Food Freedom Lab, where I spill all the secrets on how to break free from the chaos around food and your body. As a licensed therapist, certified nutritionist, and a recovered binge eater, I’m here to keep it real and raw. Today, let’s dive into the idea of feeling like you can’t stop once you start with certain foods and challenge that thought.
Challenging the “Can’t Stop Once I Start” Mentality
I’ve got a question for you: What’s your go-to sweet treat that makes you feel like you can’t stop once you start? For me, it used to be those classic sugar cookies with holiday-themed pictures on them. You know the ones—Pillsbury, white cookies, fake colored pictures. I could devour an entire can in one go. But, let’s unpack this idea of being addicted or unable to control ourselves around certain foods.
Realizing the True Problem: Control, Not Cookies
For the longest time, I believed I was addicted to these cookies, convinced that they had power over me. The turning point was realizing that maybe my problem wasn’t the cookies themselves, but rather the way I tried to control myself around them. The self-judgment, shame, and strict conditions I set whenever I had something sweet were the real issues.
Bargaining and Justification
Every time I allowed myself to have these cookies, it came with a set of rules and bargaining. It was never about enjoying the experience. Instead, it was a hurried process of self-judgment, followed by consuming the entire tray. The problem wasn’t the cookies; it was the way I approached them with a mindset of control.
Practicing Mindful Eating
What if the key to breaking free from this cycle was allowing ourselves to truly experience and enjoy these foods? I challenge you to question if you’ve ever allowed yourself both physically and emotionally to have these foods without strict conditions. Could one cookie be enough if you genuinely took the time to savor and enjoy it?
The Seven-Day Challenge
A challenge I love giving clients is to choose their most compulsive sweet and eat it every evening for a week. The catch is to do this after dinner, when you’re already full and satisfied. By making it a positive experience, clients often find that the initial compulsiveness diminishes, and they start to feel less crazed around those particular sweets.
So, the next time you feel like you can’t stop once you start with a certain food, consider challenging that thought. Ask yourself if you’ve truly allowed yourself to experience and enjoy these foods without strict conditions. You might be surprised by the results. Remember, food is meant to be enjoyed, not controlled.
