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proceed with caution and for those pesky food re- If you eat a pint of
remain in touch with your strictions. You CAN eat Ben and Jerry’s, for exam-
feelings as you read. this; you CAN’T eat that. ple, seven times a week,
My old way of eating Keeping track of it all can initially replace it with a
was to binge eat pastries, be a daunting task at first, healthier, lower-sugar,
in particular. The cheap, but if you stick it out, you and fat version one to two
store-shelf bought kind get used to that way of times per week. Try differ-
worked best for this pur- eating for a time. Dollars ent flavors if needed to
pose, which was to eat to donuts (yes, I do appre- find something that works
myself into a coma, a sug- ciate the pun), your CAN’T for you. The goal here is to
ar coma. I would eat until list includes most, if not all, slowly introduce healthier
I couldn’t stuff one more of your favorite foods. options.
thing into my belly. Only Then, one day, you After a few weeks of
then would I stop. have one of the forbidden gradually increasing your
Sick and drunk with foods. Just one. There’s no days with the healthier
sugar I no longer had to immediate weight gain, version, start to take a
feel or think. The goal was and you don’t physically look at your serving sizes.
reached. feel bad. You think, “Oh I Typically, a pint of Ben and
I would sometimes must be cured. I can eat Jerry’s serves 3. If you’re a
hide food so no one this now”. pint-a-day person, may-
would know how much I Before you know it, be start by weighing out
was eating. I would hide you’re not having just one 2 servings instead. Then,
the pastries under my once in a while—you’re over time, work your way
bed, in my car, in a closet, now having it every day. down to one serving of
etc. Sometimes, I’d start Then, other favorite foods your healthier choice a
on the pastries while I was creep back into your diet, day. This is just one exam-
driving, devouring half or and the weight starts to ple of minimal changes
more of a family pack be- come back on. you can make over time
fore I got home. You might even start to work your way toward
I remember standing to feel disappointed in healthy eating while still
in line at the grocery store yourself because you let enjoying the foods you
APPETITE with my haul, thinking, “I yourself down. This feeling love.
bet they think this is for or belief can lead to even Once we decide we
my family or some gather- more forbidden foods en- want to lose weight, we
ing I’m having”. No, it was tering into the picture. I often want that weight
all for me. know this ride very well as gone now. We want to
All the while I’m do- I’ve been on it many, many start that diet and lose
Conquering Compulsive ing this, I’m telling myself times. the weight by tomorrow.
I know I’m exaggerating,
Check this out though.
that Monday I’ll start a diet
Overeating and lose all this weight I’m You don’t have to live your but I also know I’m not too
life like this any longer. It is
far off the way we might
gaining. I would tell my-
self this even if today was possible for you to enjoy feel or think at this point.
By Stephanie Lee Monday. Next Monday, or your life and your food Our diet roller coaster has
the next Monday, and the
already demonstrated its
at the same time without
next Monday still. There guilt or shame. untrustworthiness. How
were Mondays that just The first step is to get about we smooth out that
“It’s Monday morning. choices. The best diets came and went with no off the diet roller coaster bumpy roller coaster ride
Today, I start my diet”. How were those that told me new diet started. you have been living on. and take the time to find
many Mondays have you exactly what to eat and Some Mondays, I’d Let go of the all-or-none our own unique options
had that thought or said what not to eat. I liked the actually start, and many thinking where your daily that work just for us indi-
those words to yourself? comfort of knowing that if times, I was very success- food choices depend on vidually?
For me, that thought I just followed this or that ful in reaching my weight whether or not you are on I’m here to tell you, it is
would have followed a plan that I’d be well on my loss goals. Then life would a specific weight loss plan. possible to have your cake
weekend, or maybe even way to a successful weight happen, and inevitably, Instead, think about this and eat it too.
a week or more, when I loss, and then I could start the pastries and I would option.
found myself in front of living my life free of excess be right back together.
one sugar-laden tempta- body fat. Have you been, or are
tion or another—tempta- But, as you can guess, you currently, on this hor- Stephanie Lee is a Healthy Weight Loss Behavior
tions that I frequently suc- at some point, that resolve rible diet roller coaster? It Coach offering personalized options for you to
cumbed to unless I was on would melt away, and lit- is a lonely, complex ride develop a healthy lifestyle, over time. She is also
a “diet.” tle by little, I would find and it might even seem the author of the upcoming book, “Confessions of
Somehow, being on myself back in my old way impossible to get off or a F.A.T. (Finding Authentic Transformation) Fitness
a diet gave me superhu- of eating. This next part of break free. Instructor: Winning the War on Overeating”. You can
man strength and resolve the article can potential- When you are on a contact Stephanie at stephanielee.biz
when it came to food ly trigger you, so please diet, life is grand except

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