Emotions are so powerful. So often, emotions that affect me are triggered by a lot of things–and not always in the here and now. I have found it helpful to get to the root of what is going on…looking at my behavior…the emotions that seem to be behind it and then evaluating.. “Why am I responding with this emotion?” Sometimes, it isn’t even rooted in reality!
For instance, there are a lot of things happening at my church these days. I am very involved and so this affects me deeply. Many people I love a great deal have left and even our pastor is leaving by the end of July. I have found myself responding with a broad variety of emotions…VERY extreme, at times. From absolute overwhelming sadness, to extreme anger…at people, at leadership, at GOD! And I have had a million other emotions, too!
As I analyzed this, I began to realize that some of what was happening inside of me (and subsequently affecting my outward behavior) was rooted in wounds of my past. My extreme emotional reaction that made me want to head for the hills and not look back was because of all kinds of wounds of the past that had not yet really healed. God helped to dismantle my reactions and has begun to work his healing…so that I can do “present time” living–responding now to what is really happening now.
All of this influences my eating–my coping mechanisms of all kinds–whatever I do not to feel so intensely.
I would love to know what the Lord showed you, if you did the emotional eating exercise on pages 68 and 69 in chapter 7 of Thin Within.
God definitely revealed some things to me in my reading and I am so thankful for His faithfulness to do so. For me, for instance, I don’t have a tendency to eat too much when I am emotional or tired–not like in the past. What I seem to have now, is a tendency to want to drink certain drinks that have been challenges for me to keep in moderation in my life, like Diet Cherry Pepsi or something like that. It seems now I have to watch myself when I am overly tired or feeling frustrated, angry, or emotionally disconnected from my husband (he travels a lot)…I don’t tend to sit down with a half gallon of ice cream or a tub of cookie dough as I did in the past, but I will want to “sneak” a favorite drink that I have to keep in moderation in my life…
It isn’t so much the *what* that concerns me as the attitude of “sneaking” and “I deserve this!”
Yikes! So the Lord has shown me that yes there IS work to do! 🙂 How about for you?
Did you read the reasons we overeat? Which of these can you relate to?
I would love to know if anyone here tries the suggestions made at the bottom of page 71 to put signs on the fridge or cupboard that says, “Am I really hungry?” or “Do I want to bury my feelings by eating when I’m not hungry?” or “Do I really want to be my natural God-given size?”
Let us know if it helps you to run to the Lord instead!
As you become more aware of your fat machinery, it really will dismantle a bunch of the reasons you may turn to food for reasons other than physiological hunger.
I hope you keep spending time praising God for his attributes and the way he interacts with you, his precious child!
I made a sign for my pantry on a tiny neon pink post it that said "Are you really hungry?" I paid attention the first day but by the second day I honestly didn't see it. Until….my son brought me the sticker and said "Are you Reeeellly hungry?" and I thought this is why I don't post notes around my house it makes me feel too vulnerable, embarrassed and less than perfect 🙂 not to mention the part about exposing my weakness….He could tell I was upset by this but he so kindly pointed out that I spelled really wrong. So now I am relly hungry 🙂 Needless to say now I open the pantry and can't help but miss it and it makes me laugh too. God makes all things good!
I made a sign for my pantry on a tiny neon pink post it that said "Are you really hungry?" I paid attention the first day but by the second day I honestly didn't see it. Until….my son brought me the sticker and said "Are you Reeeellly hungry?" and I thought this is why I don't post notes around my house it makes me feel too vulnerable, embarrassed and less than perfect 🙂 not to mention the part about exposing my weakness….He could tell I was upset by this but he so kindly pointed out that I spelled really wrong. So now I am relly hungry 🙂 Needless to say now I open the pantry and can't help but miss it and it makes me laugh too. God makes all things good!
Heidi,I will be gone beginning at about 8pm (NY TIME) tonight, and won't be back until Monday at about 5pm. But, I will have all my materials with me. Just want you to know that that is why I won't be responding or commenting. But, as soon as I get back, I will sign in to pick up what I missed.LOLmadaline
Heidi,I will be gone beginning at about 8pm (NY TIME) tonight, and won't be back until Monday at about 5pm. But, I will have all my materials with me. Just want you to know that that is why I won't be responding or commenting. But, as soon as I get back, I will sign in to pick up what I missed.LOLmadaline
Laura (I'm Laura too), when I read Heidi's point I thought I would be too embarrassed and my teen aged son would make fun of me and make me feel bad (especially since he's seen me on so many diets and only get bigger). And then I read your comment and that about clinched it, nope, that's not going to work for me! But maybe I could put a note that was more subtle that only I would understand. Will have to think about that, because I do admit sometimes I do things, regarding food, and don't even think about what I should until afterward and then get upset with myself.
Laura (I'm Laura too), when I read Heidi's point I thought I would be too embarrassed and my teen aged son would make fun of me and make me feel bad (especially since he's seen me on so many diets and only get bigger). And then I read your comment and that about clinched it, nope, that's not going to work for me! But maybe I could put a note that was more subtle that only I would understand. Will have to think about that, because I do admit sometimes I do things, regarding food, and don't even think about what I should until afterward and then get upset with myself.
One of the things that God has led me to do over time…is to well…he has humbled me…I mean…humiliated me…well, whatever we call it…He has led me to a place where my life is an open book to my kids (almost 15 and almost 17) and my husband. It has added a dimension of accountability to my life that I don't think I could have survived without. Truly. I think that God has shown me that this humble road…(and I don't mean I have been here willingly…I am VERY prideful and strong-willed) is the path upon which I can know him better. I mean…nuts, when I think of what Jesus had to put up with. He was GOD in the FLESH! He could have zapped everyone and everything when they were wrong or misunderstood him or mocked him…and yet he allowed himself to be led as a lamb to slaughter. You know? What is food in that context? I find that it is just one small component of knowing the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings. I am such a weanie…when my daughter wants some of my last bavarian cream donut that I was saving for a snack at 0 later in the evening…and I give her the lion's share…ouch…I call that suffering! Lord help me! 🙂
One of the things that God has led me to do over time…is to well…he has humbled me…I mean…humiliated me…well, whatever we call it…He has led me to a place where my life is an open book to my kids (almost 15 and almost 17) and my husband. It has added a dimension of accountability to my life that I don't think I could have survived without. Truly. I think that God has shown me that this humble road…(and I don't mean I have been here willingly…I am VERY prideful and strong-willed) is the path upon which I can know him better. I mean…nuts, when I think of what Jesus had to put up with. He was GOD in the FLESH! He could have zapped everyone and everything when they were wrong or misunderstood him or mocked him…and yet he allowed himself to be led as a lamb to slaughter. You know? What is food in that context? I find that it is just one small component of knowing the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings. I am such a weanie…when my daughter wants some of my last bavarian cream donut that I was saving for a snack at 0 later in the evening…and I give her the lion's share…ouch…I call that suffering! Lord help me! 🙂
Hi Laura, Just to clarify. My son (15) was not making fun of my eating but he was SO thrilled that I spelled something wrong. I love the dictionary and I would send my kids there before I would tell them how to spell something. So, it was a feather in his cap to see that Mom spelled something wrong. Placing the note, even as small as it is, was a huge victory for me. No more hiding. As if they don't see and know what I do with food 🙂 The evidence is obvious 🙂 There is great freedom in being honest about my food.Heidi, Being an open book to my family is something God is working on with me 🙂 I am making progress…… Not sure if I would have given up the donut though. Working on that too 🙂
Hi Laura, Just to clarify. My son (15) was not making fun of my eating but he was SO thrilled that I spelled something wrong. I love the dictionary and I would send my kids there before I would tell them how to spell something. So, it was a feather in his cap to see that Mom spelled something wrong. Placing the note, even as small as it is, was a huge victory for me. No more hiding. As if they don't see and know what I do with food 🙂 The evidence is obvious 🙂 There is great freedom in being honest about my food.Heidi, Being an open book to my family is something God is working on with me 🙂 I am making progress…… Not sure if I would have given up the donut though. Working on that too 🙂
To answer the question, do I want to bury my feelings in food when I am not hungry, the answer is yes I do!!! That’s the pay off…praying that I can realize that what I feel is not good or bad and can take whatever issue I am dealing with straight to the Lord. He can do it!