Re: When nothing is appealing: Food Fantasy (long)

[Guest guest]

Years ago I read in " The Psychologists' Eat Anything Diet " by Dr. Leonard and

Lillian Pearson a great fantasy exercise which helped me tune into foods that I

love and often crave when I feel hungry. Since my food preferences changed over

the years, I repeated this fantansy several times and understood more about my

preferences each time. I've seen various forms of that exercise in other books,

but here's the original fantasy (slightly edited):

(Before attempting this fantasy, arrange for some undisturbed time in a private

place. Relax your mind and your body.)

Close your eyes and breathe deeply for a few minutes. Feel the floor (or sofa or

bed) against your body. Notice any tension in your body. Relax every part of

your body.

Now picture yourself in a meadow, lying down, enjoying the warm sun on your

face. There is a sweet smelll of hay and grass and the fragrance of flowers. In

the distance you hear birds. You can hear flowing water nearby and the wind

blowing softly. Spend a few minutes absorbing the smells and sounds of this

meadow.

Next, in your mind's eye, slowly get up. You see a path and follow it. You

notice the path leads toward the woods at the end of the meadow.

Then you notice a house at the edge of the woods. The door is slightly open.

There is no one around, and you're curious to see what is inside. You open the

door and walk in. You're surprised to find the inside the house are all the

foods you have ever wanted to eat. It's all there and it's all yours.

There is no one else here. You can stay as long as you wish, and you can relate

to the food in anyway you wish. You can stay here alone, or you can invite one

or more people to join you. You can do whatever you wish--nobody will disturb

you.

This place will always be here for you. You can return to it anytime you wish.

Whenever you feel like it, you can come back to this room full of all the food

you have ever wanted. Do whatever you please in this place.

Now prepare to leave in a few minutes. Remember, you can always come back.

You can linger a bit longer. See if there's anything you wish to do in the next

few moments.

Now walk out the door and, following the winding path, go back to the meadow.

Lie down again and rest in the grass. Let the sounds and smells of the meadow

surround you. Stretch and feel the ground under you.

Now slowly come back into this room (where you physically are). Very slowly:

Take several deep, slow breaths. You are back. Rest, and after a few moments sit

up and open your eyes.

HOW WAS YOUR TRIP?

When you feel ready, think about your fantasy. You might like to write about

your 'trip' with a few key phrases to remind yourself later.

How did the rooms in the house look? What foods were in the room/house? What did

you do with the foods? Did you eat? What foods? Did you play with them? How? Did

you throw any food? How, and which ones?

How did you feel in the house? Happy? Exulted? Scared? Lonely? Guilty? Free?

Invigorated? Fulfilled? Sneaky? Giddy? Awed?

What were your reactions when you were told it was time to leave soon? Did you

then take time to touch more foods? How much did you eat? In what style? Did you

hide some food for another time? Were you anxious or confident? Could you

picture yourself returning?

How did you feel after you left the house? Did you shut the door behind you?

Lock it? Take a last-minute look? Or did you just walk away? How did you like

being back in the meadow? What did it feel like to return to your current room?

Was this room brighter than the rooms in the house in your fantasy? How do you

feel now?

[Guest guest]

After I posted the Food Fantasy exercise, I realized that the picture on the

homepage of this website reminds me of the setting for the house in the food

fantasy. What do you think?

SUE

>

> Years ago I read in " The Psychologists' Eat Anything Diet " by Dr. Leonard and

Lillian Pearson a great fantasy exercise which helped me tune into foods that I

love and often crave when I feel hungry. Since my food preferences changed over

the years, I repeated this fantansy several times and understood more about my

preferences each time. I've seen various forms of that exercise in other books,

but here's the original fantasy (slightly edited):

>

> (Before attempting this fantasy, arrange for some undisturbed time in a

private place. Relax your mind and your body.)

>

> Close your eyes and breathe deeply for a few minutes. Feel the floor (or sofa

or bed) against your body. Notice any tension in your body. Relax every part of

your body.

>

> Now picture yourself in a meadow, lying down, enjoying the warm sun on your

face. There is a sweet smelll of hay and grass and the fragrance of flowers. In

the distance you hear birds. You can hear flowing water nearby and the wind

blowing softly. Spend a few minutes absorbing the smells and sounds of this

meadow.

>

> Next, in your mind's eye, slowly get up. You see a path and follow it. You

notice the path leads toward the woods at the end of the meadow.

>

> Then you notice a house at the edge of the woods. The door is slightly open.

There is no one around, and you're curious to see what is inside. You open the

door and walk in. You're surprised to find the inside the house are all the

foods you have ever wanted to eat. It's all there and it's all yours.

>

> There is no one else here. You can stay as long as you wish, and you can

relate to the food in anyway you wish. You can stay here alone, or you can

invite one or more people to join you. You can do whatever you wish--nobody will

disturb you.

>

> This place will always be here for you. You can return to it anytime you wish.

Whenever you feel like it, you can come back to this room full of all the food

you have ever wanted. Do whatever you please in this place.

>

> Now prepare to leave in a few minutes. Remember, you can always come back.

>

> You can linger a bit longer. See if there's anything you wish to do in the

next few moments.

>

> Now walk out the door and, following the winding path, go back to the meadow.

>

> Lie down again and rest in the grass. Let the sounds and smells of the meadow

surround you. Stretch and feel the ground under you.

>

> Now slowly come back into this room (where you physically are). Very slowly:

Take several deep, slow breaths. You are back. Rest, and after a few moments sit

up and open your eyes.

>

> HOW WAS YOUR TRIP?

>

> When you feel ready, think about your fantasy. You might like to write about

your 'trip' with a few key phrases to remind yourself later.

>

> How did the rooms in the house look? What foods were in the room/house? What

did you do with the foods? Did you eat? What foods? Did you play with them? How?

Did you throw any food? How, and which ones?

>

> How did you feel in the house? Happy? Exulted? Scared? Lonely? Guilty? Free?

Invigorated? Fulfilled? Sneaky? Giddy? Awed?

>

> What were your reactions when you were told it was time to leave soon? Did you

then take time to touch more foods? How much did you eat? In what style? Did you

hide some food for another time? Were you anxious or confident? Could you

picture yourself returning?

>

> How did you feel after you left the house? Did you shut the door behind you?

Lock it? Take a last-minute look? Or did you just walk away? How did you like

being back in the meadow? What did it feel like to return to your current room?

Was this room brighter than the rooms in the house in your fantasy? How do you

feel now?

>