Chapter 7, principle 3:
My first meeting with J, she had me read this chapter. Making peace with food was going to be easy, I thought. J had me make a list of my "challenge" foods or at least the snacks that I've been craving. I did this and when I showed J my list, she made me add to it. What about candybars? What about chocolate pudding? What about hostess cupcakes? Then she told me to go out and buy all this stuff - so I did. I have to admit I was a little embarassed as I was checking out at Smiths - but then I didn't really care what the check out lady thought anyway. J also told me to order multiple sides when going out to eat - variety is key. Order more than I know I can finish so I can get used to "not cleaning my plate". Don't worry about waste, don't worry about money. Focus on the taste - only eat what I really want to and don't eat anything I don't want to.
It works - I swear. I still have lots of frozen treats in my freezer and "junk" (J would be mad at me for calling it that) food in my pantry. I may be eating foods that aren't "good for me" but I'm eating a lot less. For example, today I've eaten one Ego waffle with butter and syrup, 2 pieces of pizza, a cupcake and left over Thai food. After the Thai food, I wasn't satisfied so I dished up a bowl of ice cream and ate only half of it. Never before have I ever stopped half way through a bowl of ice cream. Because I know I'm never going to diet again and ice cream is never going to be off limits, I could stop.
WARNING: You must experience these things. From page 87: "The only way you will come to believe that you will be able to stop eating is to go through the food experience, to actually eat. This is not about knowledge of food, but rather rebuilding experiences with eating. You cannot have an eating experience through knowledge; rather, you need to go through it, bite by bite,"
Making peace with food is not as easy as I thought but I am learning by doing - Hmmm that reminds me of John 7:17.
