Great book on non-emotional eating about emotional eating!

Sep 17, 2010

I am always on the look out for a good book.  I prefer self-improvement books that help me live my best life and always a fave are the topic of emotional eating.  Even though I'm 9-years post-op, I still struggle with head hunger and emotional eating.  A few months back, Oprah announced that she had stopped dieting and had Geneen Roth on her show with her new book, Women, Food and God.

I have a long history with Geneen Roth.  Years ago, in my dieting fad career days, I had a psychologist friend that recommended her books.  I read all of them.  I wasn't ready for them.  All I remember is that she suggested getting a pillowcase and filling it up with M&M's.  Each time you ate some M&Ms out of the pillowcase she instructed that you replace the M&Ms you ate.  It was important to always keep a full pillowcase.  Okay, now years later looking back, I know her books said more than the pillowcase full of M&Ms but that is what I remember.  Of all the great information in her books, that is what I remember.  Again, I wasn't ready.

At the time, I was living in a big city in California.  Geneen Roth scheduled a two-day seminar on her books and program to combat emotional eating.  It was fun, motivating and held at a hotel that had a great restaurant in it.  I remember getting there early to get a good seat (I'm short and I like to sit in the front) so we ate breakfast before the seminar started, took our lunch breaks at the restaurant and ate dinner after the seminar was over.  I remember she was full of energy, small to the point that I could never imagine her overweight struggling with emotional eating.  The room was packed with people.  I sat in the front row.  The restaurant was excellent.  That's all I remember of her two-day seminar.  Again, I wasn't ready.

Now, fast forward to now.  I'm reading her book Women, Food and God.  I'm 9-years post-op and in a much different place in my life.  I've worked with a coach for three years, become a Professional Certified Coach myself with a specialty in bariatrics, done a lot of personal work on myself and my reasons for using food as a means of medication.  Now, I'm ready.  I've just started to read her book and I LOVE it.  This quote is from the book and really stood out for me.  Actually, since seeing it, these words have bounced around in my head.  I've really thought about it for myself.  If you feel comfortable, please share your thoughts about it too.  I'm glad I'm ready.

"Every time you "use" food, you leave yourself. Your eating can become a sign that you need something. Rather than viewing it as a seizure that overtakes you & propels you toward food, you can use it as a barometer between you and your non-physical hunger. Consider yourself fortunate to be getting a message that is so easy to read."-Geneen Roth

How cool to think of our food issues this way.  Rather than a monkey on my back, I'm feeling that how nice it is to have a barometer inside myself.  When I get that urge (drive, compulsion, etc.) to eat when I'm not hungry, focus within and ask myself what is it that I need? 

I'm grateful I'm ready!

Cathy
www.mydailyminutes.com

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