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> Hints > Past Newsletter Editions > Articles > How much comfort do you really get from overeating?

How much comfort do you really get from overeating?

If you have excess weight to lose, the solution is to take in fewer kilojoules overall.

The beauty of connecting with your body in order to lose excess weight is that your body will show you exactly how to do it. All you need to do is listen to your hunger signals and eat accordingly.

Because human bodies the world over share the same physiology, this method of weight management transcends all geographical, language, and cultural barriers.

For this reason, when I was writing The Don't Go Hungry Diet, I felt like I was sending out a message in a bottle. I wondered where my message would land, and what difference it would make to the people who found it. Years later, I had the enormous pleasure of finding out.

When 25 year-old Barushka found my message on the shores of her computer's Internet connection, she had recently landed a job in a busy law firm in Prague in the Czech Republic.

Finding her new job stressful and demanding, and having been through a tough few months finishing her law degree, Barushka had fallen into a rhythm of overeating for comfort.

'I used to eat lots of greasy things, not that many sweets (except chocolate), more like open-faced sandwiches, stuffed baguettes, deli meats, mayo salads, you name it...', she later told me in an e-mail. 'However, one time after I had "stuffed myself for comfort", I realized that comfort may well be the only think I did not get from overeating! Also, realizing that I was the largest woman in our department was no good'.

With her weight reaching its highest point of 76 kilos for her 1.64 m frame, Barushka could no longer fit into any of her clothes. That was her deciding moment, the moment she decided to stop using food for comfort and to instead find other ways to cope with her stress. 'I got back into my favourite hobby, needlework, read more books and enjoyed my wonderful marriage more fully'.

One of the books that Barushka read at this time was The Don't Go Hungry Diet. Something in it clicked for Barushka and helped her in her mission.

'When I realized that food was just food, I decided that the only characteristics the food is going to have for me from then on is whether it is healthy or not. Teamed with lots of sports and exercise, I just decided to eat when hungry, eat what I like, but stick with healthy things. Soon the cravings sorted themselves out', she says.

To help her in her quest to stop using food as a form of stress relief, Barushka removed overwhelming temptations from her environment by no longer buying foods she used to overeat. 'As for chocolate, I buy chocolate that is not a whole bar but divided into smaller bites and I have only one or two of them when I feel like'.

Within eight months of eating no more than her body told her to eat and of being more active, Barushka had lost 10 kilos. She says that the best thing about being 66 kilos is being able to wear nice clothes, having 'way way better moods', and the compliments. 'My husband keeps on telling me how amazing I am. I don't get many nice comments from female friends and colleagues (this does not happen much here), but just a bit of envy, which is rather amusing'.

One of the things I love in Barushka's story is that in conquering her weight, she also grew in other areas of her life by learning to cope with stress without overeating.

'My work is still very stressful, and I suppose it will always be, however, getting to know it better helped me to get appreciation and even promotion, which negates the stress for me a bit', she says. 'It is a very pleasant feeling to know that I no longer have to eat a lot to numb my insecurity and other unpleasant feelings'.

With that, I'd like to share with you with the three most important things that Baruskha feels have helped her to shed these 10 kilos.

Over to you

Here's something you can do immediately to put these ideas into action.

The next time you find yourself reaching for food when you're not hungry, take a moment to ask yourself this simple question:

What's my heart's desire?

In other words, if you could be, do or have anything in the world right now, what would it be?

Don't worry if your heart's desire at that moment seems totally unrealistic. For instance, maybe your heart's desire is to be on a hot date with your favorite movie star, to live in a big enough apartment within walking distance to work, or to have a retirement plan that enables you to live half of every year abroad.

By frequently putting your heart's desire into words, it helps you to understand what your underlying unmet needs are, such as your needs for security, fun, power, love, personal growth or a feeling that you're making a valuable contribution to the world.

Once you've identified your heart's desire, no matter how unrealistic it may seem to you at the time, take a moment to ponder how you could get the same feeling that it would give you from other things that are realistically available to you right now.

Whenever my husband and I visit family interstate or overseas with our children, I frequently feel tempted to overeat. My heart's desire is to have a night in my own home, with my own books, my own bath and my own bed. That's impossible when I'm some 3,000 to 15,000 kilometers away, but I've learned that I can get the same feeling by making sure I have time every day to take a proper shower, by asking for time to go for a walk or sit in a cafe or visit the shops on my own, and going to bed on time.

What could you do to get the feelings your heart's desire would give you?

While this technique may not stop you from overeating if you've already got a tablespoon poised over an open bucket of ice cream, if you give yourself more of the things you really need more often, you'll find it easier overall to eat only when you feel physically hungry.

Have a great month, and if you'd like to order a set of my Reliable Bathroom Scales and get a free copy of my DVD and workshop handbook, click here.

Sincerely,

Amanda

Dr Amanda
Connect with your body
www.DrAmandaOnline.com