Saturday, February 11, 2012
10 Ways to Increase the Release of Obsessive Eating
When I first started Dr. Lisa Weight Control Therapy Blog, I really didnt have any goals or objectives. I just wanted a place to write my thoughts that didnt fit the academic writing Im trained for in addiction psychology. As such, I didnt think Id have too much of an audience in the beginning. I was wrong. From the start, my thoughts as a practitioner and as an individual in recovery from binge eating disorder and food addiction on topics that addressed obsessive eating, weight control, spiritual recovery, and emotional recovery pulled interests from around the globe. I learned implementing goals and steps increases the success in the release of obsessive eating. I also learned sharing stories without the academia flare was more palatable.
I wont bore you with the details, but I now consistently hear and see positive results in my practice and from my blog and/or emails from a wide population seeking to release obsessive eating. I found with the goal to contribute steps to build a strong recovery foundation successes increased. True, it didnt all happen at once, patients and blog readers confessed there were some ups and downs along the way. Ive found that the 10 steps below can help any food addict increase their ability to release weight and/or make peace with their obsessive eatingwhether its a new issue or struggles long lived.
Here are my 10 ways to increase the release of obsessive eating:
1. Remove all forms of sugar from your diet with the exception of fruit for breakfast and a fruit included in the metabolic boost later in the day. Sugar is not just an empty calorie; its effect on the food addict is much more insidious. Obese patients think its about the calories, but it has nothing to do with the calories. Its a poison by itself. Forget the fact that obesity and diabetes has skyrocketed in America in the past 30 year and its responsible for diseases such as heart disease, hypertension, and many common cancers, it also triggers obsessive eating and thinking.
2. Exercise daily at least 30 minutes. Its important to exercise because it helps maintain a healthy body, reduce stress, and improves blood circulation. More importantly, its important to exercise because exercising is healthy. Its proven to help peoples overall moods, and their health, such as boosting their immune system. Exercise has also been known to keep your mind healthy as well. Get outside and connect with nature and your Higher Source while you move.
3. Sleep seven to eight hours each night. Sleep is crucial for overall health. This is because sleep helps your body to recover and rejuvenate from your days stressors, ridding your body of fatigues. Its your bodys chance to recharge and heal. The only way to rejuvenate all of our organs is to rest the body and sleep. Our brains need time to process all of the information it receives daily. Some even say its your time to clear your mind and connect with the Divine Source.
4. Write a daily gratitude journal. Journal writing is very personal and very intimate. It allows you to tap into your inner feelings and figure out whats going on for you in your life. Journal writing takes many forms. I, myself, especially enjoy diary writing, which for the most part involves the unstructured, chronological recording of the extent of a persons life. With that, I write daily gratitude posts listing all the blessings and treasure that unfold in daily life.
5. Meditate daily. Meditation is the act of embracing an open and inviting clear space in the mind. Its the discovery of a corner of the mind, a quietness within the mind, a sanctuary, a resting placeparadise in the mind, a place of peace. Meditation is performed in quietwith no agenda. Some individuals meditate by using one word to concentrate on, while others hum one note, and still others focus on something to look at, such as a cloud or flower or even a spot on the wall. Some will use a mantra, repeating it over and over again. In meditation, we spend some time in the spaciousness of not knowing.
6. Pray throughout the day. The beauty of prayer is that its personal. Theres no right way to pray, and theres no wrong wayjust your way. You can talk, sing, sit in silence, dance, cry, run, embrace nature, hug a baby, kiss a puppy, and/or watch a butterfly swirl around a daffodilall in the name of prayer. Prayer is powerful. Prayer can change your life anywhere, any timealone in quiet or in the middle of a room full of people. You can be rich, poor, belong to a church, temple, synagogue, or mosque, or sit alone in a field that stretches out as far as the eye can see. Our higher source is everywherewithin us and around us.
7. Drink at least eight glasses of water daily. Just as plants and animals need water to survive so do human beings need water to survive and function properly. In fact, humans cant live without drinking for more than a few days before deterioration and death set in. About 55% of the female body (60% of the male body) is made up of water with the muscles and the brain about 75% water. Although hydration for survival is of the utmost importance in drinking water, drinking water hydrates your skin and makes you look younger, helps fend off hunger, and helps to combat ailments. All good reasons to include water in your daily ritual. Hmmm, seems it might be a good idea to add pure water to the system!
8. Eat three balanced meals (breakfast, lunch, and snack) and one metabolic boost (snack) daily every four to five hours. The best way to begin your food recovery journey is to follow a simple formula of having four meals a day and breaking down each meal according to an easy structure of specific foods: fruit, protein, fat, vegetables, low-fat dairy, and whole grains (see weightcontroltherapy.com for detailed menu and food suggestions). I've found, too, that at the beginning, the most workable way to do this is to commit to your food plan prior to the start of your day, rather than merely hoping you'll arrive at this optimal arrangement by random eating.
9. Hug an adult, child, baby, and/or your fury child several times a day every day. According to the famous family therapist, Virginia Satir, We need four hugs a day for survival, eight hugs a day for maintenance, and twelve hugs a day for growth. In the right setting and situation a hug is the best natural therapy for all kinds of conditions, a sign of approval and affection. It is such a simple uncomplicated gesture that speaks more to the other than actual words. A simple huga universal cure available to all of usis positive energy transmitted in its simplest and maybe oldest form.
10. Laugh, giggle, and smile. A simple smile goes a long way. It immediately puts a person at ease and often is returned spontaneously. Giggles and laughter, like a smile has medicinal benefits. When I think of the benefits of laughter Norman Cousins immediately comes to mind. About 30 years ago Cousins was diagnosed with an incurable and fatal spinal column illness with no known cause or cure. Against the advice of his doctors, he checked out of the hospital and secluded himself in his home reading humorous stories and watching movies that brought tears of laughter hour upon hour for a month only to return to the hospital with marked improvementno sign of the disease whatsoever.
Since then, research has shown that the health benefits of laughter are far-reaching including it can help relieve pain, bring greater happiness, and even increase immunity. So, laugh yourself to healthbeat down compulsive eating with a good belly laugh. Think of little kids when they laugh so hard they fall down. Like smiling and kindness, laughter is contagious. Imagine if everyone partakes what kind of world we'd be in. Now go giggle....
Photos Taken by: Dr. Lisa
Friday, January 20, 2012
Is it Time to Clear Your Space?
I flicked on the light, plugged in my fountain and oil lamp, opened the blinds to let the natural light in and rolled up my sleeves prepared to dig into my chore ahead. At the stroke of midnight on New Years Eve I resolved to...
To read more of Dr. Lisa's blog go to: http://drlisa-weightcontroltherapy.blogspot.com/
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Dieting on Empty: The Problem with Diet Mentality
I recently helped my patient Melinda sift through her New Years resolution, coaching her on diet mentality and how to make healthier food choices to quiet her binge eating. She is a voracious dieter, never trusting herself to put together an eating-for life formula to compliment her lifestyle. In short, she...
To read more of Dr. Lisa's blog go to: http://drlisa-weightcontroltherapy.blogspot.com/
Photo Taken By: Dr. Lisa Ortigara Crego
Monday, January 2, 2012
The Law of Higher Potential Rather Than New Year's Resolution to Release Weight and Obsessions with Food
Are you starting another diet this year? Did you last year make a new years resolution to lose weight once and for all? How about committing to a healthier lifestyle? Did you promise yourself you would exercise or better yet you bought a fancy machine to work off excess weight starting January 1, 2012? We all make promises and yet resolutions are soon forgotten. What can you do this New Year to make it different?
To read more of Dr. Lisa's blog go to: http://drlisa-weightcontroltherapy.blogspot.com/
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Thanksgiving!
Be comforted dear soul! There is always light behind the clouds.
~Louisa May Alcott, Little Women
Thanksgiving is a day of thanks, a day of praise, a day of gratitude for the fortunate. Who is fortunate? Is it the rich person? Perhaps the one with a roof over the head? Or is it purely existence? Is the fortunate one the person present living? It's different for everyone. My fortunate is the ability to stay presentin the nowand give thanks and praise. Present living was not always a possibility for me in the past, but now, living in this moment befriends me. Of course it's not always so easy when life is filled with trials and tribulations.
Is there always a light behind the clouds...
To read more of Dr. Lisa's blog go to: http://drlisa-weightcontroltherapy.blogspot.com/
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Defining Moments...
~Sir Edmund Hillary
I awakened to the sound of the phonering after ringI just want it to stop. I pulled the pillow over my ears and hunkered down deeper into the mattress, but it droned on and on beckoning me to answer.
Barely awake, I glanced at the clock noting it was 4:00 in the morning. I stumbled as I made my way to the kitchen to learn who was on the other end of the phone.
I pressed the cold receiver to my ear and with great trepidation answered, "Hello." My father's panic voice blurted out, "Its your Momshe had a stroke! The paramedics are here. I dont know...
To read more of Dr. Lisa's blog go to: http://drlisa-weightcontroltherapy.blogspot.com/
Monday, September 26, 2011
To read more of Dr. Lisa's blog go to: http://drlisa-weightcontroltherapy.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Chemical Reactions To Food
After years of trial and error, research, clinical knowledge, weight loss, and stability of weight, I becamea gentler spirit once I...
To read more of Dr. Lisa's blog go to: http://drlisa-weightcontroltherapy.blogspot.com/
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Hypnosis and Relief From Obsessive Eating
Touch the earth, love the earth, honour the earth, her plains, her valleys, her hills, and her seas rest your spirit in her solitary places.~Earnest Dimnet
Dont you wish there was a solitary place where you could rest your spirit? Dont you wish you could stop your obsession with food with the snap of fingers? Dont you wish you could rid yourself of vomiting your food for fear of gaining weight and instead learn to eat healthy and maintain a normal weight? What if I told...
To read more of Dr. Lisa's blog go to: http://drlisa-weightcontroltherapy.blogspot.com/
Monday, August 1, 2011
Revising Your Path to Releasing Your Obsession with Food
Dont you wish someone could tell you how close you are to finally resolving your weight issues and food obsession? Dont you wish someone could say, If you just keep at it and understand why you eat youre certain to stop binge eating?
Or even if it would be heartbreaking, wouldnt it be nice to be told that youre wasting your time going on yet another diet, so...
To read more of Dr. Lisa's blog go to: http://drlisa-weightcontroltherapy.blogspot.com/
Sunday, July 17, 2011
A Day at the Beach...
A Day at the Beach...Today was one of those incredible days. I took a long bike ride along the beach in total awe at the magnificent purple and peach hues peeking through the cluster of white clouds as a backdrop to the crisp shades of blue that twinkled off the sea. With each press down on the pedal I gave thanks for all my blessings that continue to flow into my life. I remember a time when cycling was quite difficult for my 234 pound frame to have enough stamina to make it over the bridge without an abrupt stop to walk the incline.
This very shoreline in Hollywood, Florida is no strange place to me. Yvonne, my very best friend, and I were in...
To read more of Dr. Lisa's blog go to: http://drlisa-weightcontroltherapy.blogspot.com/
Monday, July 4, 2011
Happy Birthday America!
To read more of Dr. Lisa's blog go to: http://drlisa-weightcontroltherapy.blogspot.com/
Monday, June 20, 2011
Spiritual Food Vs. Whole Food
What would we expect of someone who feeds only on fast food and unhealthy snacks filled with sugar and fats? A healthy body? I think not. What about a long life? Of course not. We would expect physical health to decline as a result of the food intake. Is it any differentwith spiritual food?Could it be the intake of the divine source could restore a food addict to an all encompassing state of health? Thefood addict knows all too well todays culture is loaded with unhealthy processed foods, but what about ...
To read more of Dr. Lisa's blog go to: http://drlisa-weightcontroltherapy.blogspot.com/
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Obesity in America...
On an Oprah show I heard Mrs. Obama discussing the obesity epidemic in America and how change needs to take place, especially gettingchildren to incorporate more exercise and healthy foods as part oftheir daily lifestyle.
Great idea! But is it realistic?
I can't count how many families have sought my help...
To read more of Dr. Lisa's blog go to: http://drlisa-weightcontroltherapy.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Awakenings...
~Ralph Waldo Emerson
What is an awakening? Dictionary.com defines an awakening as a recognition, realization, or coming into awareness of something. I think of an awakening as being presentin the now. How often do you go through...
To read more of Dr. Lisa's blog go to: http://drlisa-weightcontroltherapy.blogspot.com/
Monday, May 16, 2011
I'm a Food Junkie...
My first real summer job, at the age of 13, was at the local bakery in town in Wautoma, Wisconsin. Getting that job Id thought I won the lottery ticket. I had access to the goods five days a week with little supervision. It was a Willie Wonka lifefor real. I ate bakery from the second the boss left until I clocked out.
Hi, my name is LisaIm a food junkie. A food junkie thinks about food every...
To read more of Dr. Lisa's blog go to: http://drlisa-weightcontroltherapy.blogspot.com/
EasterDay....
When I think ofpale yellow daffodils with deepgolden centers the first thought that pops into my head is Easter and spring time. The second thought is Lent. Today is Easter and Lent has come to a close.
My Lenten plan was to go to church every Sunday and to be kind to everyoneno matter what. Well, I didnt quite make it, but I did my best. Lent is the forty-day-long liturgical season of fasting and prayer before Easter. I definitely dont engage in the fasting part, as anyone who knows me will tell you Im not nice when Im deprived of "my" food. So, I continue to eat my three healthy meals a day with a half meal as a snack, and it works like a charm.
When I think of the meaning of Lent, I can't help but...
To read more of Dr. Lisa's blog go to: http://drlisa-weightcontroltherapy.blogspot.com/
Spiritual Being....
Another day is about to unfold. I always look forward to the treasures of life that await me. This morning I rode my bike along the Hollywood, Florida Inter-Coastal and up the bridge and along the sea side. What a view! As I pedaled with energy and enthusiasm I thought about how I used to feel exhausted and full of dispair. I have come
To read more of Dr. Lisa's blog go to: http://drlisa-weightcontroltherapy.blogspot.com/
Binge Eating Disorder vs Food Addiction
Do I have Binge Eating Disorder or is it Food Addiction, or Could it be a Combination of Both? Have you ever gone back for an extra serving of food when you weren't hungry? How about mindless eating between meals on occasion? Im sure most of us at some time or another took an additional serving (or two) of food or ate unplanned meals especially during holidays, birthdays, and long weekends. Let's face it temptations to over-indulge are all around us....
To read more of Dr. Lisa's blog go to: http://drlisa-weightcontroltherapy.blogspot.com/
Balance...
A day in the life of Dr. Lisa!
I woke this morning at 7:00 to the sound of birds chirping and the sun blaring in through the cracks of the drapes...and my day began.
I woke this morning at 7:00 to the sound of birds chirping and the sun blaring in through the cracks of the drapes...and my day began.
After morning stretches, eight minutes of weight lifting, and meditation, I jumped on my bike an....
To read more of Dr. Lisa's blog go to: http://drlisa-weightcontroltherapy.blogspot.com/
Why Can't I Stop Eating?
So, you ask yourself,'Why can't I stop eating?' or 'What's wrong with me that Im eating a huge amount of foodwhen Im not even hungry?'
Did you ever consider you may have an eating disorder? Okay, it's harsh to even consider the idea. Nobody wants to be "labeled" with a disorder. I get that. I have binge eating disorder and ...
To read more of Dr. Lisa's blog go to: http://drlisa-weightcontroltherapy.blogspot.com/
What is the experience of spirituality? My patients in treatment for various eating disorders often ask me this very question. The answer is not so easy, especially when spirituality is an individual experiencewith no two exposures mirrored.
Treatment for eating disorders is three-fold: physical, emotional and spiritual. Often...
To read more of Dr. Lisa's blog go to: http://drlisa-weightcontroltherapy.blogspot.com/
Still
I spent last weekend alone at the beach house. I painted walked, sat on the dock, swam, read and biked. It was quiet in my mind and around me. Nothing but silence and Sage, my 75 pound German Shepherd who panted and looked at me with a quizzical nod as if to say, 'Well, so what a we gonna do? No plansquietstill...
