Food for Thought: August 13th

Be Prepared

We need to be prepared for times when we will be tempted to eat the wrong kind of food. This may mean eating our planned meal before going to an event where the right food may not be available. It may mean adjusting our meal schedule so that we can wait to eat until after an event where the wrong kind of food is served.

In the past, we may have used the excuse of not hurting someone's feelings in order to rationalize a deviation from our food plan. No hostess should expect a guest to consume food to which he or she is allergic. We alone are responsible for what goes into our mouths. If we are faced with food, which will activate our illness, it is better to be hungry than to eat what makes us sick.

When we are willing to go to any lengths to maintain abstinence, we can find a way to deal with dangerous food situations. "No, thank you" is a very useful tool.

May I be prepared for times of temptation.

From Food for Thought: Daily Meditations for Overeaters by Elisabeth L. ©1980, 1992 by Hazelden Foundation.

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Preparedness is the name of the game for compulsive overeaters. Willingness to stick to that plan is vital, because we are as impulsive as we are compulsive. I have often given into a whim and stuffed a 'bit' of something into my mouth........which leads me to stay OFF plan for the rest of that day.  I didn't plan to do it..........I did it, instead, on an impulse. When I agree to put the Food Plan in charge, I do not pop something extra into my mouth, even when tempted to do so. Why? Because I refuse to get on that horrible roller-coaster ride back into the dark pit without a ladder!

I don't worry about hurting someone's feelings by saying No Thank You to dangerous food...........I DO worry about hurting MYSELF by saying Yes. The hostess will get over her 'hurt feelings', but I, on the other hand, may NOT get over my relapse.  It may take me weeks or months, or even years, to get back to my Food Plan of abstinence after one single diversion.  Food addiction is a funny thing that way..........once I wake up the sleeping giant, he's a bear to get back to sleep.

For today, I am willing to go to ANY length to maintain abstinence, which forces me to find a way to make a situation work instead of finding excuses for it not to.