Food for Thought: November 28th

One Bite Means a Binge

By this time; we know that we do not overeat moderately. One extra compulsive bite sooner or later becomes a binge. Keeping this fact firmly planted in our consciousness prevents us from deluding ourselves into disaster. For us, there is abstinence or there is chaos. Nothing in between.

Having proved this fact over and over again, we must avoid at all costs the insanity that makes us think we can handle one small extra bite. Our only sure defense against such inexplicable insanity is a Power greater than ourselves. Alone, we cannot control what we eat and we cannot manage our lives.

Each day we begin by admitting to God our powerlessness over our compulsion, and we ask for His control. Whenever we are tempted or overwhelmed, we release our whole selves into His care and protection. At the end of the day, we give thanks for the Power that keeps us from taking the one small, disastrous bite.

Deliver me from the bite that means a binge.

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

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Building Up To The Binge (Blog)

It starts with a thought. “Gee, look how yummy that sludge looks………….I think I may take a small taste.” Never mind that ‘a small taste’ is an oxymoron.  Never mind that ‘a small taste’ won’t satisfy you.  Never mind. Just NEVER. MIND.  I am going to take ONE small taste and that’s THAT. Period.

Who cares, anyway? Right?

You may get through the rest of the evening without taking any more ‘small tastes’ and think See? I knew it? I CAN do this! I can eat like a ‘normal person’ because I’ve learned how to!

Yay me!

You wake up the next morning particularly hungry & realizing something has changed.  What? You can’t put your finger on it, but you may feel a slight sense of freedom.  Like some sort of heavy weight has been lifted OFF of your shoulders.

Some off plan food catches your eye, once again, since you’re virtually surrounded by it everywhere you go.  So you think to yourself, “What’s the big deal?” I ate ‘a small taste’ yesterday & everything turned out ok, so maybe I’ll take another ‘small taste.’

What’s changed is your mindset.  You’ve freed yourself from the ‘burden’ of The Diet, because now you’re a Normal Person Who Can Eat Sludge In Moderation With No Consequences.

Your level of seriousness has now been compromised. You’ve let down your guard a bit, and weakened your commitment muscle.  That muscle has been waiting to be compromised, by the way, because it’s been feeling self-pity and deprivation lately, if you stop to think about it.

It’s saying Poor Poor Me, Boo Hoo.  I’ve been SO good for SO long, I deserve to take a break!

And then the downhill slide REALLY begins.

The sense of ‘freedom’ you were feeling yesterday suddenly feels like an even LARGER burden than ever before.

You’ve spent the past couple of days Building Up To The Binge.  What started out as ‘a small taste’ is GOING to turn INTO a very, very LARGE taste and then a whole bag & then more.

Lots more.

Like the trip to the gas station More……you know? The one where you spend $15 on sludge and carry it out of there in two plastic bags? The one where you snarf down ALL of that sludge, in the car, where nobody is looking……..and then dispose of the evidence before you get home?

You know the one I’m talking about.

The Binge.

You get home & crash hard, vowing to Never Do This Again.  To get back to strict  tomorrow, and that’s THAT.

Tomorrow comes & you just can’t manage to get back, for some reason.

You’re incredibly hungry, for some reason, and the thought of healthy eating is just not appealing.

Or, maybe you DO find your mojo to get strict for a day or two.  But then the memory of the binge comes back into your stream of thought, and WHAM! You’re back to fantasizing just HOW great a bag of ____________would taste!

You’ll just get back to seriousness TOMORROW.

Or better yet, On Monday.

Except Monday never comes.  You’ve fallen back into the pit without a ladder.  And it all started with ‘a small taste’ of something off plan.

Doesn’t it always?

Don’t allow yourself to Build Up To The Binge.  Don’t allow yourself to take that first off plan bite.  Do not bring junk food into your house, trying to ‘test’ your resolve to lose weight.  You may just FAIL that test and have to start over again………..get back to the “Day One” mentality, when you feel like a big fat failure.

Consider yourself allergic to sugar, or a diabetic who’s going to need a shot of insulin to process that sugar shot.  Sludge is NOT for YOU.

Consider yourself an alcoholic, who would NEVER think of taking that first drink.  That’s the way YOU need to look at taking the FIRST off plan bite.

Sit yourself down for a nice heart-to-heart talk. Stop feeling self-pity and deprivation. Tell yourself how incredibly LUCKY you are to be eating SIX TIMES A DAY and not feeling true stomach hunger.

The vast majority of us can relate to this story, I’m sure……….although it’s not written about anyone in particular, it COULD be YOU, couldn’t it? I know for a fact it could be ME. In fact, is HAS been me…………so I write from experience.

For today, let’s stay the course ALL of us.  If thoughts of off plan foods come into your head, squash them DOWN and kick them OUT. You ARE in control of your thoughts.  If you don’t like the way you’re stinkin’ thinkin’ is going, then CHANGE it! Go outside & exercise. Or take a bath. Or call a friend. Or or or.  Just DON’T take that FIRST off plan bite!