Banish Compulsive Eating

By Karin Evans, Natural Solutions

A year ago Dixie Evatt would have described herself as a classic lifetime dieter–and not a very good one at that. Speaking in a soft drawl that betrays her Texas roots, Evatt says she tried everything under the sun. “I had gone away to spas, spent two or three weeks in intensive sessions, and done liquid protein, Weight Watchers, and Atkins. You name it, I tried it,” she says. “I was often a successful dieter–but only for a while. Within a year or two the weight always came back.”

Evatt, a recently retired writing teacher at Syracuse University, says she’d usually top out at about 230 pounds on her five-feet-five-inch frame. “Then I’d panic and try another diet. The one thing about me,” Evatt says with a soft chuckle, “is that I never give up.” When she reached her mid-fifties and began having a harder time getting around, her doctors suggested something she’d never heard of before: mindful eating. “It sounded interesting,” says Evatt. “I’d never tried anything that tapped into my mind.”

So off she went to take a series of classes at the State University of New York’s (SUNY) medical center in Syracuse. The experience was unlike any of her other attempts. “I was used to weight-loss programs where you run out and sweat or measure your food on a little scale, and there are all these rules,” she says. But in this class, everyone was simply encouraged to sit quietly and then to eat one thing–a sliver of crunchy celery, for instance–with complete and rapt attention.

“At first I thought, surely there’s more to it than this,” says Evatt with a laugh. “But here was a program where you got really quiet and turned inward–and that turned out to be enough.” She went home with some meditation tapes, instructions to practice eating at least one meal slowly and consciously, and a renewed sense of hope.

She got a chance to test her newfound approach when she visited a local restaurant shortly thereafter, and ordered her favorite dish, blackened snapper with rice. But this time, instead of pulling out her book and burying herself in it while she ate, she concentrated on the meal. “I was smelling, tasting, enjoying that fish, and I ate only half and was fully satisfied,” she says. “It was a powerful moment because I realized that this technique could work for me.”

And so she kept at it, going to class, meditating, and eating mindfully for at least one meal a day. When Evatt stepped onto her scale nine months later, she found she’d lost 21 pounds. “In the other weight management programs I’d experienced, the programs were always controlling me: “This is how you exercise,” “These are the no-no foods,” says Evatt. “This strategy put me in charge.”

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Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Chloe H.

6:07PM PDT on Apr 3, 2010

Great Information! Thank you!

send a green star

5:54AM PDT on Mar 25, 2010

I love cookies.Oats may also be consumed raw, and cookies with raw oats are quickly becoming popular.
m3 zero

Beverly R.

4:07PM PST on Jan 30, 2010

Not eating whilst; watching telly, reading, surfing Care2; gosh what a novel idea, I guess I could try it, thanks Beverly

Natalia P.

10:05AM PST on Jan 27, 2010

thanks

Ben O.

3:51PM PST on Jan 20, 2010

Banish (I had to look that up) Compulsive (I had to look that up) eating???
Sorry, I just can't understand it...

Marion S.

1:04AM PST on Jan 17, 2010

really vlever and interesting, I have given up on diets and am now actually tasting my food rather than just eating it fast, I can now susvive with a piece of chocolate rather than a bar and have swapped may of the foods I love, chicken kebabs being my downfall for homemade chicken ones without the pitta bread even as I now realise what foods I like adh make me feel good. In the last year without really trying I have lost over 2 stone and when I feel myself starting to slip ito bad habits I just remind myself what makes me feel good and although still obese I fell fantastic because I eat mostly natural foods made at home now.

Tomoko H.

7:41AM PST on Jan 8, 2010

I have found that drinking plenty of water keeps me from eating impulsively. Filling your tummy with water makes you feel full and also re-hydrates you. Only drawback is you are always running to the wee-wee room.

Soul W.

10:39AM PST on Jan 7, 2010

Relora! Any form of stress or anxiety (even the unnoticable kinds) increases cortisol levels in the blood. This engages "emotional eating". Relora or other herbs like holy basil) reduce those unhealthy cortisol levels thereby eliminating food cravings, tension, anxiety, stress & even belly fat. Look at reviews: iHERB.com and use Coupon Code SOH355 to save $5.00 off your 1st order. I used NOW brand, but other brands are sucessfull too. Just be sure to check out customer reviews before you decide which brand. Thank me later!

Alexsandra R.

9:20AM PST on Jan 7, 2010

Great articule, thanks for sharing!

I had anorexia , then had bulimia.. it was a living hell all the anxiety, guilt all that deatlhy cycle.

Eat healthy and keep your mind and body busy to avoid thinking about food too much :). Don't skip meals.. do healthy snacks, and give yourself some pleasure every once in a while :)

7:17AM PST on Jan 5, 2010

Since I became aware of my eating habits I have learned to control myself. I have dropped two dress sizes and can finally fit into some pants I could not wear before.