| Food Cravings: How to Practice PatienceDuring | | | | easy to learn and use--see my site for |
| holidays and parties you may try to "plan | | | | worksheets and instructions specific to |
| ahead" so you can avoid some of the rush. | | | | weight loss or visit for general information |
| Last year at Christmas I realized I had to | | | | on learning EFT).===== EFT for Patience in |
| take three major dishes for Christmas Eve | | | | EatingWhile tapping the P.R. (psychological |
| dinner and it suddenly dawned on me that I'd | | | | reversal) point say,"Even though I want to |
| have to bake the cake the night ahead.Baking | | | | eat the cake, except I'm not supposed to |
| a cake then waiting to eat it is not my | | | | because it's for tomorrow's dinner party, I |
| favorite thing at all. I've always had a | | | | deeply and completely accept myself."Repeat |
| difficult time in making a cake a day ahead, | | | | that statement three times and say it like |
| in fact I tend to avoid receipes that say it | | | | you mean it.Then tap the rest of the face and |
| needs to sit eight hours. (Whenever you catch | | | | body points, using a short reminder such as, |
| yourself saying the word "always" that's a | | | | "eat cake." The entire time think about that |
| hint something to use EFT on is coming to | | | | cake and how much you want it and how |
| mind and notice I said I always have a | | | | delicious it would be. Make it as strong a |
| difficult time with this? That's when to use | | | | desire as you can (this is how EFT gets a |
| EFT).My past behavior has been to want to eat | | | | strong neuropathway to disrupt so don't fear |
| the cake as soon as it's finished, so if it | | | | you'll make your cravings stronger, it |
| must wait for a day, it's torture. I also | | | | actually will do the opposite)."Even though I |
| prefer making huge three and four layer cakes | | | | can't stand waiting, I choose to give myself |
| that take up the entire refrigerator causing | | | | permission to wait."Reminder: "Can't |
| me to see the cake and nothing but the cake | | | | wait.""Even though I hate this waiting and |
| every time I open the refrigerator | | | | I'm going to stick my face in it right now, I |
| door.Practicing Patience in EatingPatience | | | | deeply and completely accept myself |
| can be practiced all day every day. It is | | | | anyway."Reminder: "Hate being told what to |
| necessary when dealing with strangers, | | | | do.""Even though I can't seem to deny myself |
| family, and most of all yourself. Just | | | | what I want, I deeply and completely love and |
| because you usually give in to your immediate | | | | accept myself and give myself permission to |
| desires for food doesn't mean you must do so. | | | | wait."Reminder: "Can't deny."Practice this on |
| Maybe you are trying to avoid feeling | | | | some food or beverage that seems to call to |
| deprived but practicing and learning to | | | | you, and see whether it helps ease that pull. |
| exercise some patience may be of good use.If | | | | If you are reluctant because you are afraid |
| I bake a lovely cake and see it in the | | | | you'll lose the desire for the completely |
| refrigerator, it beckons to me. Knowing I | | | | (and this is you favorite food so you don't |
| cannot take a slice without ruining the | | | | want that to happen), don't worry. That's not |
| presentation doesn't seem to help me avoid | | | | going to happen. You may come to want it less |
| the siren call. I could be sitting, minding | | | | often and certainly you'll no longer feel a |
| my own business, when I suddenly snap my head | | | | compulsive need for it, but most people |
| upright, as if I've heard a ghost, "Come and | | | | discover they still enjoy the food just as |
| get a piece of cake," it calls to me. "I'm | | | | much, they just no longer feel out-of-control |
| waiting," it cries. "Stupid cake, I | | | | about it. The control issue is what is being |
| think."Leftover cake isn't such a big problem | | | | addressed. The desire or compulsion to have |
| because I plan ahead to have at least one | | | | something that seems beyond a rational |
| piece, sometimes two every day as long as it | | | | desire, that is what you are working to |
| lasts. That's another reason I prefer baking | | | | reduce.Smile today at every person you see, |
| to take it somewhere rather than just making | | | | and practice patience. Think of an inside |
| it for home.Rather than trying to analyze why | | | | joke, remember a happy moment, or a funny |
| I have this strange desire to eat cake, I'm | | | | movie you saw. Put a happy memory in your |
| just going to tackle it head-on with some | | | | head and carry it around with you, then |
| EFT. I may also use the Swish Technique | | | | whenever you see someone just smile to |
| (taught in the Ending Emotional Eating | | | | yourself. Even in the crowded stores, people |
| workshop, Session 4).If you've had similar | | | | will treat you better when you put a happy |
| struggles, try these suggested EFT phrases, | | | | bubble around yourself, and you'll lift their |
| or devise some for your situation. (EFT is | | | | spirits as well. |