"Normal" Eating by Karen R. Koenig

Making Judgments

Are you someone who goes out of your way to not judge others? Do you go overboard trying to avoid being critical and thinking badly of those you meet and know? This behavior is laudable in theory, but works poorly in a world in which we must make assessments about whether people will be helpful or hurtful to us. The problem comes from confusion over the term judgment.

More on Sugar Addiction

There’s always new information coming out on eating and weight. Here’s recent evidence which indicates that sugar might very well might be addictive. Study Suggests Sugar May be Addictive, by Amanda Gardner. Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2008 (Health Day News) -- Science is verifying what many overeaters have suspected for a long time: sugar can be addictive. In fact, the sweetener seems to prompt the same chemical changes in the brain seen in people who abuse drugs such as cocaine and heroin. The findings were to be presented Wednesday at the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology's annual meeting, in Nashville.
 

Beat or Treat Yourself Well

Although there’s truth in the adage, “You are what you eat,” there’s also a whole lot of evidence that you are what you tell yourself you are. Or rather what others insisted you were in childhood and what your self-talk confirms about you today. We become, then remain, whatever we believe ourselves to be. Think you’re lovable, then presto, you are. Think you’re not and, well, you know what kind of feelings and behaviors that leads to.

Fat Cells and Weight

There is so much amazing scientific information out in the world about weight these days. As an evidence-based person, I’m a big fan of science and love to understand the workings of the mind/body. Another scientific bonus is that it helps keep our heads on straight by disproving myths about fat and thin, and gives us a fact-based reality from which to set our goals. So, heads out of the clouds and feet on the ground.

Be Yourself

I get a kick out of the expression, “Be yourself. Everyone else is taken.” What a hoot! But the last time I read it I got to thinking about how difficult it is for some of you to, well, actually be yourselves. Doing so means knowing what you feel and think and savoring your uniqueness. So many disregulated eaters hate themselves one minute, then love themselves the next or chameleon-like, change their opinions depending on the people they’re with. So, here forth, it’s time to know yourself so that you can be yourself.

Different Types of Unwanted Eating

It’s essential to understand exactly which of your eating behaviors is off the mark. Okay, I hear some of you saying, All of them. Yet many of you do fine in one kind of eating situation and are plagued by dysfunction in others. Because you can’t fix a problem until you identify it, it’s time to target which specific eating behaviors get you into trouble.

Nature or Nurture

Do you believe that “normal” eating means you never have to engage your brain and make hard choices with food because your appetite will automatically do what’s right by you—signal the perfect time to feed your hunger, flash a bulletin about what food will satisfy you, focus on eating well while your mind is elsewhere, and fling out its arms like a crossing guard to warn you to put down your fork because you’re done? If you believe your appetite needs no help from your better judgment, think again.

Believing in Your Rights

What are your rights? I don’t mean regarding voting or free speech. Rather, what are the unalienable human rights you believe you have? My hunch is that you aren’t convinced you have very many, and that’s why you spend so much time trying to establish that you do—with food, your emotions, with people, and engaging in behaviors which are nothing but self-destructive. Sadly, all your chronic efforts to prove to yourself and others that you have rights only attests to the fact that you’re not convinced.

Defining Yourself

I can’t think of better way to start the new year than for you to choose how you’re going to think and act in 2009. You can’t make yourself over in an instant, but you can make decisions about the person you want to become and begin practicing new behaviors right now. Although genetics and environment are powerful factors in promoting or inhibiting change, your beliefs can override them. Of course, after deciding how you want to think and act, you have to immerse yourself in your new attitude and behaviors.