Not having a good day

[Guest guest]

I've had a couple of good days here and there and felt pretty good but

today and yesterday have not been so good. I'm not in a good mood and

I'm not feeling good physically, I feel blah. I feel like this is the

biggest I've ever been. When will things get in check? Should I be

seeking therapy? I think some of my issues run deep or have just been

so far imbedded. Yesterday I was not in a good mood, just feeling blah

and I kept right on eating even though I did not want it; it almost

felt like I was spiting myself for unknown reasons. I tried writing in

a journal that didn't help. I'm very frustrated as I'm working eight

days in a row (five of them 12 hour days) and I'm working on my least

favourite side of the region where the workers there are so weird -

trying to get me to change who I am to fit in. I'm a friendly person

just not part of the clique and don't want to be part of the clique.

I'm worried about speaking up until I get past my probationary period

so I'm stuffing down all these feelings and stuffing the feelings down

with food. I ordered a book on-line " overcoming emotional eating. "

Hoping this will give me some insight.

J.

[Guest guest]

First, you are doing good just to acknowledge that you have been

having a more difficult time of late. Guess what, that happens to thin

people too. But seriously, making the connection between feeling

uncomfortable/upset and eating is the start really. Eating to comfort

oneself if soooo usual and most of us wonder if it will stop being

that way. It can and I've read enough posts here to say it does too.

It all starts with acknowledging that its happens and then making the

changes, little and as often as you can manage, that leads to an

effective turn around for that too. Hard as it is to hear that this

will take time, that seems to be the way it works. Just like the

journey of a thousand miles begins with a single foot step, the IE

journey can be 'long' too, but it made up of baby steps toward

returning to eat as our bodies need nourishment.

GOOD job and keep up the work you are doing.

Best to you - Katcha

IEing since March 2007

>

> I've had a couple of good days here and there and felt pretty good but

> today and yesterday have not been so good. I'm not in a good mood and

> I'm not feeling good physically, I feel blah. I feel like this is the

> biggest I've ever been. When will things get in check? Should I be

> seeking therapy? I think some of my issues run deep or have just been

> so far imbedded. Yesterday I was not in a good mood, just feeling blah

> and I kept right on eating even though I did not want it; it almost

> felt like I was spiting myself for unknown reasons. I tried writing in

> a journal that didn't help. I'm very frustrated as I'm working eight

> days in a row (five of them 12 hour days) and I'm working on my least

> favourite side of the region where the workers there are so weird -

> trying to get me to change who I am to fit in. I'm a friendly person

> just not part of the clique and don't want to be part of the clique.

> I'm worried about speaking up until I get past my probationary period

> so I'm stuffing down all these feelings and stuffing the feelings down

> with food. I ordered a book on-line " overcoming emotional eating. "

> Hoping this will give me some insight.

>

> J.

>

[Guest guest]

Hi J. I'm glad you are a friendly person because that is all you need to be right now. be friendly with whatever is going in your life right now. At this moment, you for whatever reason are working very hard maybe more than anyone can handle. That's making you sick and tired. Unfortunately, us , have to avoid that, because for sure, it lead us to binges, big time. But there is hope if you are willing to pause and surrender. Concentrate only on the task at hand, doing whatever is that you do, slowly but efficiently doing the best you can. take as much breaks as you can. Go to the restroom and relax, take deep breaths as you drink a glass of water. Do whatever you need to do to not make you tired. Do not label people as weird they are different, but we all are different and its OK. You do not have to change to fit, as differences is what makes life

fascinating. Do not fight the fact that things have to be as they are right now and be grateful that is temporally while you get past your probationary period. Meanwhile be friendly as you are not only with people but with the situation as it is. this is call " if life gives you lemons , make lemonade." It will pass any way. And when it is over and gone forever as it will , If you can handle it gracefully today you will not have to deal with extra weight when its gone, that's very appealing.bye

Subject: Re: Not having a good dayTo: IntuitiveEating_Support Date: Saturday, July 26, 2008, 1:18 PM

First, you are doing good just to acknowledge that you have beenhaving a more difficult time of late. Guess what, that happens to thinpeople too. But seriously, making the connection between feelinguncomfortable/ upset and eating is the start really. Eating to comfortoneself if soooo usual and most of us wonder if it will stop beingthat way. It can and I've read enough posts here to say it does too.It all starts with acknowledging that its happens and then making thechanges, little and as often as you can manage, that leads to aneffective turn around for that too. Hard as it is to hear that thiswill take time, that seems to be the way it works. Just like thejourney of a thousand miles begins with a single foot step, the IEjourney can be 'long' too, but it made up of baby steps towardreturning to eat as our bodies need nourishment. GOOD job and keep up the work you are doing.Best to you -

KatchaIEing since March 2007>> I've had a couple of good days here and there and felt pretty good but > today and yesterday have not been so good. I'm not in a good mood and > I'm not feeling good physically, I feel blah. I feel like this is the > biggest I've ever been. When will things get in check? Should I be > seeking therapy? I think some of my issues run deep or have just been > so far imbedded. Yesterday I was not in a good mood, just feeling blah > and I kept right on eating even though I did not want it; it almost > felt like I was spiting myself for unknown reasons. I tried writing in > a journal that didn't help. I'm very frustrated as I'm working eight > days in a row (five

of them 12 hour days) and I'm working on my least > favourite side of the region where the workers there are so weird - > trying to get me to change who I am to fit in. I'm a friendly person > just not part of the clique and don't want to be part of the clique. > I'm worried about speaking up until I get past my probationary period > so I'm stuffing down all these feelings and stuffing the feelings down > with food. I ordered a book on-line "overcoming emotional eating." > Hoping this will give me some insight.> > J.>

[Guest guest]

Hi J,

I find one of the biggest emotional triggers for eating for me is

when I feel powerless. I started using food to cope with feeling

powerless when I was a very young child and that was a practice I

continued all of my life. Once I started eating intuitively and

realized I was doing this, I also realized that if I didn't want to

keep eating emotionally, I was going to have to deal with my issues

and confront people, as unpleasant as that might be. I have been

trying to work on that for the past few months. It is difficult, but

it has enabled me to stop eating for emotional reasons.

It sounds like you are feeling powerless in your present situation at

work. If you cannot confront the people who are making you feel

uncomfortable, is there someone at work you CAN talk to about this

problem? If not, perhaps a good friend? If not, perhaps a therapist

could help you process these feelings and deal with the work

situation.

I know sometimes we figure it is easier to keep our mouths shut and

just " deal " but we always pay a big price for that in the end. As

unpleasant as it is to confront people, it is vital for our mental

and physical health.

Good luck to you!

[Guest guest]

J,

It sounds like you're in a very stressful place...it's not surprising...if not normal for you to "stuff" your feelings like you stated. Eating your emotions is one tool that your body is used to using...we tend to go on autopilot under stress. You said that you kept "right on eating even though I did not want it; it almost felt like I was spiting myself for unknown reasons." Yes, this happens to me when I'm feeling helpless and frustrated...I have a tendency to punish myself in these states.

Once, I get into this state it can be difficult to shift it...so I have to appeal to those emotions. I ask myself what can I do physically (besides) eating that will help me feel better or at least help me vent those emotions...I like whacking a ball in tennis, punching or taking a baseball bat to a pillow (cliche I know) or throwing a soft ball that I bought as hard as possible against the wall, or going for a walk and breathing, or taking a bubble bath, or imagining the people that I love around me and feeling that support, anything to demonstrate to myself that I can care for myself...that I do have other options and even though I feel "helpless" in certain areas...it's ok...I can find strength in another area.

It's interesting that you said that you feel "pressured" to change in order to fit in with a weird group where you're working. So, the question becomes for me, how do you relieve that pressure and prevent that pressure from affecting you in the future? There are many different answers to these questions. As I've mentioned previously on this group, I've created a list of "resources" like the ones mentioned above that appeal to my personality and have this list available now before I descend into eating my emotions. Like you, journaling wasn't active enough for me in these instances. I'm creating new "auto-pilot" programs with these options and my body is responding well. A previous teacher of mind told me that to him resource means to re-"source" - to find his center again...the place where his feels whole and peaceful. What are your "re-sources"?

Latoya

[Guest guest]

I just wanted to say thanks for your posts. I had a real break

through and I feel great!! I confronted this person who has been

causing me grief at work. What a change in him, he backed right

off. I took a good look at the the people where most of my issues

were coming from and really had to laugh and felt a huge wave of

relief as they are no better than me and they don't intimidate me or

for that matter validate me. I felt stronger and more empowered. I

really need to just deal with these people head on in the future -

what a difference it makes.

Thanks,

J.

>

> J,

>  

> It sounds like you're in a very stressful place...it's not

surprising...if not normal for you to " stuff " your feelings like you

stated. Eating your emotions is one tool that your body is used to

using...we tend to go on autopilot under stress.  You said that you

kept " right on eating even though I did not want it; it almost felt

like I was spiting myself for unknown reasons. " Yes, this happens to

me when I'm feeling helpless and frustrated...I have a tendency to

punish myself in these states.

>  

> Once, I get into this state it can be difficult to shift it...so I

have to appeal to those emotions. I ask myself what can I do

physically (besides) eating that will help me feel better or at least

help me vent those emotions...I like whacking a ball in tennis,

punching or taking a baseball bat to a pillow (cliche I know) or

throwing a soft ball that I bought as hard as possible against the

wall, or going for a walk and breathing, or taking a bubble bath, or

imagining the people that I love around me and feeling that support,

anything to demonstrate to myself that I can care for myself...that I

do have other options and even though I feel " helpless " in certain

areas...it's ok...I can find strength in another area.

>  

> It's interesting that you said that you feel " pressured " to change

in order to fit in with a weird group where you're working.  So, the

question becomes for me, how do you relieve that pressure and prevent

that pressure from affecting you in the future? There are many

different answers to these questions. As I've mentioned previously on

this group, I've created a list of " resources "  like the ones

mentioned above that appeal to my personality and have this list

available now before I descend into eating my emotions. Like you,

journaling wasn't active enough for me in these instances. I'm

creating new " auto-pilot " programs with these options and my body is

responding well. A previous teacher of mind told me that to him

resource means to re- " source " - to find his center again...the place

where his feels whole and peaceful. What are your " re-sources " ?

>  

> Latoya 

>  

>  

>

[Guest guest]

>

> I just wanted to say thanks for your posts. I had a real break

> through and I feel great!! I confronted this person who has been

> causing me grief at work. What a change in him, he backed right

> off.

That's great news, J.! I think you will find Intuitive Eating to be

very empowering. Once we stop numbing our feelings with food and become

aware of our feelings, we realize the importance of standing up for

ourselves because not doing so makes us feel small and bad about

ourselves, like a victim - and that is not a good place to be. I know I

have become much more confrontive with my family and husband anytime I

feel like someone is trying to take advantage of me or treating me

unfairly.

Congratulations on this break through!

B.