overeating

Question
hi,
i actually know that i am the only one that can answer my question, but i thought you might be able to provide a jump-start. i have always been in excellent shape and thin. my life has drastically changed in the last 2 years, and i have put on close to 100 pounds. i have done this by eating, and not just eating a little. once i start eating, i do not stop. i can eat a whole container of ice cream, and THEN eat a sandwich, or meat and veges and fruit, and then a whole bag of cookies, and i just keep going. i am not really enjoying it. and i do this late at night, when i finally have some time for myself. i know the psychological answers. i know what i have to do. every morning i tell myself i am going to stop. because understandably in the morning, i do not feel so good. but every night i do the same thing. i promise i will not eat so late at night, but i break my promise to myself [which is so upsetting, because i would never break my promise to someone else]
i know only i can make the changes, but i thought as i said maybe you can suggest something that help me get started.
thank you so very much for taking the time to read this.

Answer
Hi Carri

Well the strange part is that the place to start isn't with the eating.  The eating is a just a symptom as you probably know.  It's a symptom for where you feel you don't have enough, aren't enough, aren't worthy enough... so you're trying to fill and intangible hole on the inside with a tangible substance with the outside.  The eating is your body's way of letting you know you're in desperate need of nurturing or finding passion and purpose in life.  So the place to start is to sit down and take a look at your life:  where does it feel like it needs sweetening?  What pill is too bitter to swallow?

You can't fill a hole that is empty for love, companionship, feeling secure or whatever else with food.  And as you know only too well 'comfort eating' is anything but comforting.  For more about emotional eating you might like to read: http://www.ditch-diets-live-light.com/emotional-eaters.html

And while you're there is you click on the Freebies tab you'll find a fabulous practical exercise to get you started... called practical intuition. And it's one you can keep going back to.

And then you need to work through the pain you're trying to sooth, the anger you're trying to push down, the anguish, the feelings of 'not-enoughness' you're trying to fill and when you've done that the eating will go away on it's own.  So, instead of getting up each morning telling yourself you're going to control the eating, rather ask yourself what can you do to feel full today.

I'd highly recommend my book:  The Joy-Filled Body - (http://www.ditch-diets-live-light.com/joy-filled-body.html I think you'd find the 3rd section feels as if some of it has been written just for you.  And you may find joining my online forum helps as well.

Carri, please take the time to rate my answer so that I know if someone asks me something similar in the future whether this was helpful to you.
With warm wishes
Cari  

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