| p>Congratulations on waking up each morning and | | | | Self-Soothing and Comforting Strategies |
| greeting the day with renewed determination! | | | | Instead of using to food to calm or feel better, |
| Perhaps you rise and say, "Today is the day - I | | | | what are other ways that you can soothe your |
| will make it through the entire day sticking to my | | | | body, mind, and soul? Examples could include a |
| diet and weight loss goals." What a wonderful, | | | | warm and fragrant bath, deep breathing, yoga, |
| optimistic way to begin a fresh day. Ahead of | | | | peaceful music, or going to the park to watch the |
| you lies the promise of a new day, a fresh start. | | | | trees and feel the wind. |
| Sometimes though, as experience has shown, | | | | 1. |
| good intentions alone are not enough to | | | | 2. |
| overpower food cravings of the urge to binge. | | | | 3. |
| Willpower alone is not enough to overcome the | | | | 4. |
| desire to comfort eat, binge, or compulsively | | | | Emotional Needs Strategies |
| overeat. This is where positive desire needs to be | | | | Find alternative ways to first identify and then |
| coupled with a sound action plan. What provides | | | | cope with the underlying emotion you might be |
| empowerment is a predetermined, personalized | | | | feeling. Talk to a friend or counselor, journal, or sit |
| plan of action. You need an individual plan that you | | | | with the emotion. These are just a few ways of |
| carefully think out ahead of time and then write | | | | dealing with an emotion instead of eating to |
| down. | | | | suppress it. |
| Think about it - when was the last time you | | | | 1. |
| 'easily' sidestepped a binge or craving? Or | | | | 2. |
| 'effortlessly' drove past the fast food restaurant | | | | 3. |
| when you were feeling stressed, depressed, tired, | | | | 4. |
| or bored? Chances are your urge to eat was so | | | | After your list is completed, keep it in a place |
| strong that it blocked out all rational, goal-oriented | | | | where you can easily get to it when needed (i.e. |
| thought. In a moment of crisis, willpower and | | | | purse, refrigerator, etc.). Revise or update your |
| optimistic intentions seem to disappear. | | | | list as needed. |
| Believe it or not, the part of you that woke up | | | | B. Phone List |
| this morning and firmly stated that today was | | | | It is also important to reach out during times of |
| going to be a success, is still there. A part of you | | | | crisis. During moments of urgency we often feel |
| does still want to make it through the day | | | | scared, alone, and out of control. Reaching out to |
| without overeating. Hidden somewhere behind | | | | someone during this time can help to relieve some |
| your overwhelming urge to eat is that aspect of | | | | of the distress that you may be having. Having |
| you that was so confident earlier. It is going to be | | | | someone to talk to can sometimes prevent a slip |
| your job to go looking for it and to bring it back | | | | or setback. In addition, talking to someone about |
| to the forefront. For this, you are going to need | | | | your feelings can remind you that others care for |
| some tools in your toolbox. | | | | you and that you are not alone. Write down |
| When you are in the midst of a crisis is no time | | | | names and numbers of compassionate, |
| to be gathering new tools. Instead, during strong | | | | understanding people you can reach out to and |
| and confident times is when it is time to prepare. | | | | feel supported. While it may initially be difficult to |
| That way, when you need them they are already | | | | "reach out and touch someone," it will gradually |
| there. You will just have to open the box and dig | | | | become easier. The person that you call will be |
| them out when needed. Use the guidelines below | | | | glad that you trusted them enough to lean on |
| to prepare your personal plan of action to bypass | | | | them during a tough time. |
| a possible binge or craving. | | | | Name and Phone Number |
| Pre-Binge Planning | | | | 1. |
| Once you are in the midst of a crisis, it is often | | | | 2. |
| impossible to view what is going on objectively. | | | | 3. |
| Overwhelmed by the desire to eat, it is difficult to | | | | 4. |
| gain the perspective needed to seek out | | | | 5. |
| alternative actions. Quite possibly, eating is your | | | | C. Personal Mantra |
| familiar way of coping with what's going on, so | | | | Develop a short one or two line statement that is |
| the urge may be intense. With such a powerful | | | | meaningful to you. Take some time with this one |
| desire to eat and cope with the little picture of | | | | and write a powerful and meaningful statement |
| what is going on in your world, your mind is not | | | | that resonates within you. This sentence is |
| going to be focused enough to recall your big | | | | something that brings you back to the larger |
| picture plans. What you need is a written strategy | | | | picture, and helps remind you that you are |
| that can take you out of the short-term crisis | | | | capable of taking a breath and making a new |
| and eating behaviors, and back into the passion of | | | | choice. When crisis occurs, read and repeat your |
| your long-range personal goals. | | | | statement until you can feel the truth of it inside |
| A. Crisis Strategy List | | | | of your very body. |
| Develop a list of things you can do, or have done | | | | Examples: |
| in the past, to overcome the need to eat. When | | | | I have the strength to stand strong for |
| a crisis moment hits, you can decide which | | | | everything I believe in. |
| category or categories of ideas might help you | | | | I have the ability to change anything in my life |
| through the moment. Include ideas in all the | | | | that I choose to change. |
| following categories: | | | | I take complete responsibility for my life. |
| Distraction Strategies | | | | Everyday in every way I am growing more and |
| Ideas that bring pleasure and/or distance from | | | | more confident. |
| food. Examples might include craft hobbies, | | | | _____ |
| walking, cleaning house, planting in garden, etc. | | | | _____ |
| 1. | | | | _____ |
| 2. | | | | _____ |
| 3. | | | | Begin developing your own personalized strategy |
| 4. | | | | now. Don't worry if it's not perfect or if you're |
| Behavior Strategies | | | | not sure if the ideas you write down will work. |
| Options that help you deal with your environment. | | | | This is an ongoing plan that you will revise and |
| These strategies might include drinking water to | | | | continue to fine tune. No one strategy works in |
| see if you were really thirsty instead of hungry, | | | | every situation. Look at your past successes and |
| throwing away the tempting food, inviting a friend | | | | begin to note what occasionally worked. Also |
| over, etc. | | | | notice what did not work. Follow this basic outline |
| 1. | | | | and give yourself the extra support you need to |
| 2. | | | | avert a binge and create the wonderful outcome |
| 3. | | | | you desire. |
| 4. | | | | |