Showing Up for Life

A part of recovery is realizing how much we hide ourselves from the life we truly want.  It isn't just about food or our bodies.

Many people who diet/binge/or have binge eating disorder have the core belief that they are unworthy of love.  So they deny themselves love.

They deny themselves the job they want, the relationship, the clothes, the trip abroad, etc.  And they deny themselves the chance to feel hunger and to eat food they enjoy.

It's time to say NO MORE! Stand up! Love yourself.  Love your body!  Eat food you LOVE!  Spend time with people YOU LOVE!  Believe you can have the job, life, car, and whatever you desire!

Jump and the net will appear.

Daniela

I Eat When I Feel Hungry and Stop When I Feel Full!

Let's talk about anxiety.

Sometimes we feel anxious and we think it means we have to be "doing" something.  Usually that something can fall into the eating category.

You are sitting at your desk and your fighting to get 48 hours of work done in 24 and you've only slept 6 hours last night.  It's lunchtime.  Your peers head for the break room.

Before you get up, check in.  Do you feel hungry?  Or just anxious, thirsty, tired...?

Do you worry if you don't eat now something will happen.  What is the worst thing that could happen if you just waited for hunger?

You might feel hunger pains, a headache, but you'll be okay.  The food will taste better when you are hungry for it.

Repeat this daily, several times each day:

I eat when I feel hungry and stop when I feel full.

Let your hunger guide you.

Daniela

What is up with Oprah

If you own a TV, you probably have noticed Oprah has joined Weight Watchers...

And that is okay.

What I have noticed during my recovery from binge eating disorder and diets in general is that everyone's journey is unique and there often are periods of rebound (back into dieting).

Will WW truly help her finally lose it all?  All signs point to no.  At least not in the long term.  Seriously - I can't wait to see what happens in three years.  Why?  Well, diets just do not work...especially not in the long run.  The vast majority of dieters who successfully lose weight end up gaining it all back (and often more) within three years.  Somewhere close to 97%!!!

I want you to be at your body's set point within three years.  Do you hear me?  Your BODY's set point...NOT society's or your brain's!  And you WILL get there - I garuntee it!  If you follow the EMB program.

That means you eat whatever you want when you are hungry and you stop when you are full.  You pay attention to your bodies signals.  At first you feel like its one giant binge...but it's not.  It's just you, allowing yourself all the things you didn't for so long.

And then you calm down.

Things start to click.

You start to notice that you don't like the sugar high and subsequent crash when you eat six cookies for breakfast.  You start to enjoy the taste of eggs again (not just egg whites).  You might even like to add a few vegetables here and there...

I know it sounds crazy.  When I started the EMB program.  I literally ate six cookies and cake for breakfast...for a long time.  And then I got sick of it.  Can you believe it?

It's true - when you ALLOW yourself exactly what you want, you don't need so much of it anymore!

My portion sizes got smaller...but I still ate with enjoyment.

That's my hope for you too!

Cheers!
Daniela

SMART Goals Suck

During graduate school, I was required to write "smart" goals.  Smart stands for "Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-bound."  I think they are BS.  You're goals don't have to be "realistic."  This limited thinking keeps you from achieving things you really want in life and allowing life/God/Universe to bring to you whatever your heart truly desires!

So this year, let's set some UNREALISTIC goals!  I think you'll be surprised what can happen if you let yourself dream and believe and ACT as if you'd already achieved these things.  Trust me - this shit works!

I remember when I started EMB.  I worked so hard at ACTING as if I had the body I truly wanted.  I went from treating my body like crap, wearing clothes I didn't like just to hide my shape and being introverted around men to all the opposite.  I asked myself - how would I act if I were in the body of my dreams?  Honestly?  HOW WOULD YOUR LIFE BE DIFFERENT?

Personally, that meant wearing clothes I loved (and fit me), flirting, making eye contact, finding exercise I enjoyed like dancing and swimming (not the crap I made myself do to lose weight). 

That meant I bought a whole new wardrobe, signed up for dance classes, and started to make conversations.  

I acted as if I had what I wanted, and the Universe delivered exactly what I did want.  

Act as if, and BELIEVE!  Let's get ready for 2016!  Your best year EVER!

Daniela

Impatience

So, I've been thinking.  

This post isn't directly about food.  But with Binge Eating Disorder (aka w/e you want to call it), almost everything is related to food.

So let's talk about patience...or lack thereof. 

What in your life is not flowing?  How are you doing with that?  

Maybe you want to manifest a new relationship, job, house, career, car...do you even know?

I challenge you to take some time today...sit down and WRITE. Write down your goals for 2016.  Take risks.  Write down some crazy shit goals that seem out of your reach and watch the Universe (or God, or Spirit, or whatever) provide those things for you in the most unexpected ways.

Stay open.  Stay present.  Breathe.  Write.  Have faith.  Not in yourself.  Not even in the EMB program.  But in your Higher Power (Self/God/etc). 

Have faith friends.  Trust me, it will get better.

Email me anytime!  I love hearing from you-
Daniela

Wanting what we don't have

Sometimes the grass seems like it would be greener on the other side of the fence.

If only I were .....

There are so many ways to finish this sentance but none of them will bring happiness now.  And life really is too short to wish and want something you don't have.

You could waste so much time wanting whatever it is you want...to be thinner, to be married, to have a different job.

What if you stopped living as if the answer was outside somewhere.
What if you started living as if you had to body you wanted.

I applied this to my life and eventually it helped me end up having the body I wanted.

I recently applied this to my love life.  What would I do differently if I were in a relationship?  I'd feel more content, relaxed and supported.  So I tried to cultivate those qualities.  I started to smile at people more.  I trusted in God to provide for my needs, which left me feeling more relaxed.  And ya know what?!  I started to attract more and more men!  Seriously, it was like they were coming out of the woodwork within 7 days of acting "as if."

What is it that you want?  How can you start acting as if you already had it?

Daniela

But I feel fat!

Okay, I'll admit it!  Sometimes I talk to myself.  Here is an excerpt from a recent conversation I had with...myself.

"I want to go dancing tonight!  I love to dance!"
But you feel so fat right now!  None of your clothes will fit.

I tried on a few things, and yes, they felt too tight.  It might be that I've gained some weight recently and it might be that I'm a bit bloated (I've been eating more fiber than normal).

I had two options - one, stay in on a Saturday night and isolate myself.  Two - put on an outfit that does fit, dress up, put a smile on my face and go dancing!  What would I do if I were as thin as I wanted to be?  Of course I'd dance!

Can you guess which one I chose?

That's me!

One of the hardest parts of learning to embrace my body and following the program was that I had to live as if...I had the body I wanted.  And eventually, by living that way, I did have the body I wanted. Sure I ended up losing some weight.  But I also came to accept my body and enjoy it as it was.  That changed my life.

That doesn't mean that it's always easy.  I recently went through the worst year of my life - divorce, betrayal, a job I hated, and intense pressure from other sources.  I found myself completely imbalanced, burnt out, and hungry all of the time.  I also became very sad and I didn't have the time or energy to be active.  My old behaviors (thoughts - self-defeating) came back to me.  And I knew I was close to falling down the rabbit hole.  But I chose NOT to.  I reevaluated my life.  I found a job that offers more flexibility (and pays less), I slept more, I started going to therapy.  I found balance and I found my way back to intuitive eating via the embrace my body program.

What's funny is that, when I created EMB, I hadn't struggled with intuitive eating in years.  I thought I'd never have issues again...boy was I wrong.  I am SO THANKFUL I created EMB because now I am actually, humbly, using it again to find my way back to a healthy relationship with my body.

Hug yourself and GO DANCING!

Daniela Ketalam