Here's a link to my original post about part I. Listen to this first.
https://gardengirlkp.blogspot.com/2019/02/food-addiction-and-dr-robert-cywes-must.html
I believe
1. Food addiction is real, yet different from other additions in some ways.
Trigger warning:
Example: I wasn't going to jail for impaired binge eating half a skinny cow ice cream studded with 1 WW point of M&M's but I was going to be stuck in emotional and fat pants hell for many years. An emotional prison yes, lose my job and family in jail, no. Such different consequences. All bad outcomes. Unique.
Every day I thank my higher power I stopped counting WW points and started tracking my food and abstaining from trigger food. Many of us cannot moderate junk food. It's okay. Life is still great. I don't need food to sooth anymore.
2. That I had to get to my own root causes of obesity, investigate, then run a good CAPA, corrective and preventive action. Plus an honest effectiveness check. Rinse and repeat for as many root causes and steps as it takes. Even 7+ years into this.
3. That food sober living tools are 100% a must for my best life. Not everyone needs extra steps. That's cool but don't fool yourself. Be honest.
__________________________________________________________________
My main take aways from part I of Dr. Cywes lecture.
A. Methodology is wrong for weight loss (for some of us).
B. Obesity is (in part) a mental health problem- it probably was for me, yo!
C. Preventive includes management of endorphins and stress with the right tools.
D. Emotional management- AKA old enabling stories you tell yourself, over and over again
E. Replacement of the drug (hyper palatable foods) with something else for endorphin management.
F Abstinence is not enough (AMEN!- that's why I use 20 tools)
G. Carb addiction model for recovery.
F. Yes, Apple vs Ice Cream can still give you a crystal meth high- Dr. Cywes is in recovery himself.
Just as an aside, I have such a high risk for Type 2 diabetes, my blood glucose spikes and stays high if I eat a whole apple. Small slices of apple don't trigger my binge eating, so if I feel like an apple, I'll have one slice at a farmers market, in season.
Yes, sweet fruit was a root cause for disease, so I manage it for my biomarkers and weight maintenance, more so than binge eating. For example, pineapple is a 100% binge food. Always was always will be. So I abstain even when vacationing in Hawaii. No big deal, but fighting binge urges is a big deal.
Big question that Dr. Cywes asks: Are you willing to give up your "best friend".
Watch the video. Feel free to disagree, in a respectful way. Until I started using absaining tools, I could not earn my weight maintenance brain and pants. :)
Here's what brings me good, helpful endorphins.
Long walks, and photography, beach combing, time with family
Lunch time walks key for maintenance |
So relaxing |
Coffee with my college kid! |
Choose your "best friends" wisely. Onward.