“You can’t plow a field simply by turning it over in your mind.”
Wise words from Mister Gordon B. Hinckley.
And, a terrific introduction to the final of our three-part series on eliminating emotional eating.
The final and most important step in eliminating emotional eating.
So, are you ready to eliminate your emotional eating and feel confident around food?
Righto.
Parts 1 and 2 are here. (Go on, off you pop.)
While we wait, here’s a story.
It’s vaguely embarrassing, what with me being a coach n all. But, em….well, in the interests of being transparent…
Earlier this week I visited the physiotherapist. My calves had been feeling a bit tweaky.
After an excellent massage, the physio demonstrated a couple of simple easy-to-perform stretches, explaining how – if done regularly – the tightness in my muscles would heal and I’d be firing on all cylinders.
“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” said Miss Know It All.
Right there might have been a good place to stop. But, I didn’t.
“I already know those stretches,” said Miss Glib.
<< a long, long silence >>
<< ditto >>
That moment
There.
Right there was that moment.
You know the one.
The one when you say something so breath-takingly silly, you cringe, shaking your own head at your own self.
He’s a good physio.
He heard the silliness too.
He allowed the silence, then asked the obvious.
“It’s great you know them. Do you do them?” he asked very quietly.
Boo-yaa.
Smack down.
With tail between my legs, head hanging in shame, I came clean.
Course, the physio already knew the truth.
Every fibre of my calves knew.
Fundamentally, what it comes down to is this…..
Insight without action is worthless
No one can do your stretches for you.
Not your mum.
Not your coach.
Not your BFF.
Only Y.O.U.
If you want a different result in your life – say, flexible calves or to eliminate your emotional eating – you’ve got to do what you know.
Every day.
You.
Doing what you know.
It’s a powerful formula.
And sure beats the wishing, waiting, hoping (for the magic pill) formula.
Work it, baby.
Repetition is key here. Repetition really is the mother of all learning.
Whenever you repeat anything a neural pathway is created in your brain. Each and every repetition reinforces it.
So work it, baby, work it.
If you find yourself not applying what you know, as in, you continue to stuff down your emotions with food, remember the definition of insanity.
If you keep doing what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always got.
So, this time, decide to do something different. You’re not insane! You’re a smart chica!
Remind yourself what real hunger feels like. Do the technique you already know (there’s another six techniques here).
You know enough right now to be able to eliminate your emotional eating.
The remainder is doing what you know.
Rinse and repeat.
Again and again and again.
I’ve really enjoyed writing this series. I trust you have too. As always, I love hearing from you via the comments or email. What’s been your most important learning from this series? What have your specific challenges been? What’s it mean to you now, to be the boss of food?
Anyways, I’ve got to dash. I’ve got some stretching to do.
Love etc, Avril
PS: If you know you’re emotional eating is linked a trauma in your past and you’ve had enough, drop me an email. Together, you can get to the other side of this pain. You can be free from food.
